SAOIRSE32

BBC

Northern Ireland’s parties have not yet been able to agree the timetable for the transfer of justice powers or how to appoint a policing minister.

There was doubt whether the reports would be published

This was confirmed in a Stormont report on policing and justice.

The report says the DUP and UUP expressed a clear preference for a single justice minister, while Sinn Fein preferred two ministers of equal status.

The Programme for Government Committee has now published five of the six reports which were being prepared for it on key issues.

Earlier this month, the committee decided that the reports would not be published unless a strong case was advanced that they should be made public.

The policing and justice report confirms that Sinn Fein, the SDLP and the UUP believed a minister should be appointed using the proportional D’Hondt system, whereas the DUP backed the election of a minister by a 70% weighted majority.

Last month, the government suggested that a justice minister should be elected by cross-community vote.

Initial arrangement

The secretary of state said this initial arrangement should be reviewed by 2011.

In the policing and justice report, the DUP describe this government proposal as cumbersome and neither efficient nor effective.

Sinn Fein say it is helpful and it assumed both the justice minister and his or her deputy would be elected.

Sinn Fein suggested that locating policing and justice within the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister might also be a short-term option.

The SDLP objected to the cross-community vote as contrary to the principles of the Good Friday Agreement.

The UUP rejected the government model, arguing there should be a single department led by a single minister. In their report, all four parties did agree that they should back the rule of law.

Committee reports

The Stormont Programme for Government Committee has now published reports on policing and justice, school admissions, and rural planning.

It released a report on public sector job location last week when the matter was debated in the Assembly.

A report on rates and water charges was released when the issue came up for debate on Monday.

The only report so far not published deals with the economy and the shape of a peace dividend to accompany any political deal.

A coroner has praised the bravery of a Derry builder killed in a Real IRA bomb attack on an army base.

David Caldwell died after picking up a box containing explosives

David Caldwell, 51, from the Waterside area, died in hospital after picking up a lunchbox containing explosives at Caw Territorial Army base in August 2002.

An inquest heard how, despite his injuries, he was able to give police information about what happened.

His partner said she did not believe the killers will ever be caught but the inquest had given the family closure.

The hearing in Limavady was told Mr Caldwell’s last words were that he loved his family.

Coroner John Leckey paid tribute to the former soldier’s courage after he managed to leave the site of the bomb and tell rescuers what he had done.

Speaking afterwards, the digger driver’s partner Mavis McFaul said she was glad the inquest had brought them closure.

“It has been an awful five years, but I think me and the young girl (Mr Caldwell’s 18-year-old daughter) can get on.”

BBC

Helping the inquiry into the murder of Belfast man Robert McCartney should be a “litmus test” of Sinn Fein’s support for policing, his sister has said.

Robert McCartney was beaten and stabbed to death two years ago

Catherine McCartney was speaking after police issued a new appeal for information on the second anniversary of the killing.

Mr McCartney, 33, was beaten and stabbed to death outside a bar near Belfast city centre.

His sister said Sinn Fein now had no excuse not to assist the police probe.

“If it was purely a policing issue for Sinn Fein that has now been removed,” Ms McCartney said.

“Sinn Fein members (in the bar) refused to speak to police. They had a nonsense of talking to third parties like priests, but that was fruitless. Police are trained to take statements, not priests.

“I want Gerry Adams to say he will encourage everybody to come forward and say they will help with the investigation into Robert’s murder.

“That will prove there was no culture of cover-up going on.”

Mr McCartney, a father-of-two, died the day after he and his friend Brendan Devine were attacked - allegedly by IRA members - inside Magennis’ Bar in May Street and then in Cromac Square.

One man has been charged with his murder, and another with the attempted murder of Mr Devine.

However, the McCartney family - who drew international attention with a justice campaign that went all the way to the White House - believe several other people were involved in the attack and others in allegedly mounted a clean-up operation inside the pub to remove any evidence.

Sinn Fein said it had suspended a number of its members after the killing, and Mr Adams previously said he supported the family’s campaign for justice.

Meanwhile, PSNI Detective Superintendent Dunwoody appealed for witnesses who had not come forward to now do so.

“I would also address my appeal to those who have declined to speak to police in the past for whatever reason,” Ds Dunwoody said.

“I would ask you to reconsider that decision; come talk to me or my team, tell me what you know so that Robert can get justice, his family can get justice and peace of mind and that those who committed this terrible crime can be held to account.”

Policing

Earlier on Tuesday, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said young republicans had the backing of Sinn Fein to join the PSNI

He was speaking in Dublin after a meeting of the Sinn Fein ard chomairle (executive).

At a weekend meeting his party voted to back the PSNI.

“If young republicans, or indeed any age of republicans, want to join it that’s their right and we would support them doing that,” he said.

“There’s no point us calling upon people to work with the police if we are not also prepared to support those who want to join, but I think there’s a big onus on the PSNI to win that sort of confidence.”

DUP leader Ian Paisley said he welcomed any move in support of law and order but still has serious concerns about the republican attitude to policing.

Referring to the murder of Mr McCartney he asked: “What about McCartney?”

BBC

Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde has accused the SDLP and Sinn Fein of insulting his staff and using the police as a political football.

Sir Hugh Orde criticised nationalist politicians

His criticism is contained in a confidential memo, obtained by the BBC.

It is understood that Sir Hugh was angered by a number of remarks by nationalist politicians.

It follows the report by the Police Ombudsman last week, which said there had been collusion between some members of Special Branch and the UVF.

The chief constable said in his memo, sent to almost 10,000 police officers last week when the report was published, that it had been “a difficult week for policing.”

He again points out that he has accepted the recommendations made in Nuala O’Loan’s report, which he described as “uncomfortable reading”.

Sir Hugh then accuses some political parties of making “unfair and damaging statements about our organisation”.

It is believed that he was angered by remarks by Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams last week, when he said republicans would “put manners” on the police.

Sir Hugh is also believed to be annoyed by comments made by Mark Durkan in a newspaper advert last Friday.

In it, the SDLP leader claimed his party had ensured that Sir Hugh was appointed chief constable of the PSNI - to keep out what he called “the old RUC order.”

In the memo, Sir Hugh said it was “unacceptable that some individuals have used policing for political purposes”.

“I would suggest to the police leadership that they are on the wrong side of the argument.”
Alex Attwood
SDLP policing spokesman

He said they had made “insulting comments about the organisation, its staff and retired colleagues”, who he holds in the highest esteem.

Sir Hugh tells staff that he has spoken directly to the SDLP leadership to express his anger - and taken steps to speak to Sinn Fein, but says their leadership appears to have “gone on-the-run”.

He ends his message by saying he is “proud to lead the PSNI” and says his staff “can hold their heads up high”.

SDLP policing spokesman Alex Attwood told the BBC’s Good Morning Ulster he was surprised by the content of Sir Hugh’s memo.

“I would suggest to the police leadership that they are on the wrong side of the argument,” he said.

“They need to get back on the right side of those people who, over the last five or six years, have done so much to reshape Northern Ireland society in the interests of and to the benefit of everyone.”

Sinn Fein assembly member John O’Dowd rejected Sir Hugh’s claim that the party had “gone to ground” when he tried to contact them.

“Sinn Fein is out there trying to introduce an accountable policing service,” he said.

“And if he comes to Sinn Fein with the same attitude that he has displayed in that memo, he will be getting a short shrift answer.”

Meanwhile, party president Gerry Adams is to meet the prime minister on Thursday to discuss the implications of the Ombudsman’s report on collusion.