Devolving Policing and Justice does not equal progress

"Taking into consideration Northern Ireland's recent history, policing and justice is one of the most contentious and difficult issues that our Executive will have to administer.

"Currently the Executive isn't working - education isn't working, local government reform isn't working and we must remember that in the middle of the worst recession in living memory Sinn Fein and the DUP refused to meet for 152 days.

"Why would we want to devolve policing and justice into this scenario"?

"The manner in which Sinn Fein has administered education in Northern Ireland illustrates that they are not prepared, or are incapable of constructively engaging with other parties on important issues.

"Because we are not opposed to the devolution of policing and justice in principle, we proposed a number of reasonable measures to make the Executive work. We believe a working Executive could cope with policing and justice; devolving policing and justice into an Executive that does not work is in nobodies' best interest. Our responsible approach has so far been rejected.

"The Ulster Unionist Party has been at the forefront of progress in Northern Ireland and we will continue to work for genuine progress. Devolving policing and justice in current circumstances does not equal progress.

"The Secretary of State and others have attempted to claim that this is a crisis. The reality is that the DUP and Sinn Fein have the votes to carry their deal over the line. In any democracy parties will vote in different ways on certain issues, why should Northern Ireland be different?

Let me be very clear - the Ulster Unionist Party has not seen the deal. This was negotiated between the DUP and Sinn Fein - this has been recognised by the PM and by the parties themselves as they frantically try to sell what was agreed at Hillsborough.. For us to sign up to something we have not seen would be ludicrous - you would not sign on the dotted line for a business contract you had not read, or when purchasing a new car - why then would we sign up to something when we don't even know the content.

You only have to look at the comments from Sinn Fein over the last few days to see the implied side deals. Once again Gerry Adams talked about a 'staging post' - 'On the runs' have also been mentioned and this is alongside the announcement of additional funding to Irish Language - what else has been agreed. This week in the Assembly we voted against the devolution of policing and justice. Devolving it at this stage does not mean progress. We are the only Party showing leadership - we want to secure the deal that will really work - making devolution work for everyone.