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Tue 1st December
Speaking during an Assembly debate on the Justice Bill Mr Durkan said Sinn Féin and the DUP should stop playing a game of agreement in the chamber while arguing in public in order to complete the suite of devolution powers.
He said: “The position of the SDLP in relation to policing and justice has always been consistent and clear. It should happen sooner rather than later.
“This stands in contrast to that of Sinn Féin and the DUP who operate under the pretence of reasoned agreement in the Assembly before engaging in verbal ding-dongs and sabre-rattling in the media. They use rhetoric of ‘deep trouble’ and ‘train wrecks’ in public while in the Assembly it is like a scene from ‘Little House on the Prairie.’
“The SDLP stand by our concerns over the flaws in the Justice Bill namely the departure from the respect for democratic mandate as laid out in the Good Friday Agreement in the process of appointing a justice minister.
“We have also serious misgiving surrounding what will happen in 2012 in the event of the dissolution of the department. The SDLP put down amendments to the bill which were designed to remedy these faults and improve the bill.
“The SDLP’s concerns about the potential timelines for devolution have been vindicated. Sinn Féin’s so-called target date of May 2008 from St Andrews has long past.
“The ‘no undue delay’ agreement of last year has also exposed Sinn Féin’s false confidence in the DUP.
“The SDLP reiterate that devolution of policing and justice should take place as soon as possible.
“We were the first to specify and name the threat of dissidents who are exploiting the uncertainty surrounding the issue, hiding behind the language of ‘Crown Forces’ and ‘British Police.’
“Furthermore, we will not be truly members of a legislative assembly until we have responsibility for criminal law. And it is further necessary to complete the suite of devolution.
“The SDLP want to make devolution of policing and justice happen and we want to see it work.”
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