SAOIRSE32

By Noel McAdam
Belfast Telegraph
Friday, 29 August 2008

The troubled Executive tumbled towards crisis today as First Minister Peter Robinson accused a Sinn Fein minister of a deliberate attempt to derail the power-sharing government.

The DUP leader also demanded an immediate Executive meeting after charging Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy with breaching his Pledge of Office in the Ministerial Code and warning of possible High Court action.

“I view this deliberate attempt to subvert the Executive as an act of the utmost bad faith,” Mr Robinson stormed in a letter sent yesterday and seen by the Belfast Telegraph.

The Telegraph also understands he has sent a private memo to Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, urging him to give serious consideration to an Executive meeting as soon as possible.

But Sinn Fein hit back angrily and insisted no letter from Mr Robinson has the authority of the First Minister’s office without the co-signature of Mr McGuinness. MLA John |O’Dowd said: “Aside from the fact that Peter Robinson has no authority to write any letter on any subject on behalf of OFM/dFM without the agreement of Sinn Fein, people will be amazed that at a time when there are real outstanding issues to resolve Mr Robinson has the time to play petty politics.”

The Upper Bann MLA also said the background involved a query from former DUP MEP Jim Allister. “The pattern seems to be Jim Allister raises an issue and it becomes a DUP priority. It is weak politics and no way to do business,” Mr O’Dowd added.

At the centre of the deepening Stormont row, which has been focussed on the devolution of policing and justice powers, is a massive review of the regional development strategy.

Mr Allister today confirmed he had complained to Mr Murphy’s permanent secretary about “pro-republican language” in the strategy document and the DRD minister had indicated he was satisfied with it.

Mr Robinson’s letter said, however: “The strategy which you have published is not the strategy which was agreed by the Executive on 10 April. I have sought and received legal advice on this and consider you to be in clear breach of your ministerial duties and that you have acted unlawfully.”

Mr Robinson has insisted on the immediate withdrawal of documents already publicly available and a detailed explanation of how the situation has arisen.

“I would be grateful for an urgent response from you (setting out) the steps required to rectify this situation,” he added.

The DUP First Minister said it is an extremely serious matter which goes to the heart of the credibility of the Executive and the entire decision-making process.

“If we cannot trust colleagues to take forward a decision agreed by the Executive, then this is a very worrying and dangerous situation,” he said.

“In these circumstances I am also seeking an urgent meeting of the Executive as soon as possible to discuss this important matter. It may be that the Executive can resolve the situation without recourse to the High Court.”

Minutes of Stormont meetings set out how the final blueprint seems not to have been brought back to Ministers for approval. Mr Robinson alleges there were a total of 157 changes from the version of the document agreed by the Executive.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Regional Development confirmed the letter has been received. Mr Murphy is on holiday but returns to his desk on Monday.

Mr O’Dowd added: “The Regional Development Strategy produced by DRD is an accurate reflection of what was agreed at Executive level. It would suit Mr Robinson better if he used his time engaging in the process of intensive dialogue he committed his party to in June to sort out serious issues.”