Devolving Policing and Justice does not equal progress!



West Tyrone Ulster Conservatives and Unionists candidate Ross Hussey has supported his party’s stance not to support the devolution of policing and justice when the vote was taken this evening. ’Anyone with a knowledge of Northern Ireland’s recent history, would clearly see that policing and justice is one of the most contentious and difficult issues that our Executive will have to administer. For a long time my party Leader, Sir Reg Empey, has made it clear that 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. Clearly then I as a public representative and many of those I represent would ask the question “why would we want to devolve policing and justice into an ineffective administration’. The manner in which Sinn Fein’s Catriona Ruane has administered education in Northern Ireland illustrates that they are not prepared, or are incapable of constructively engaging with other parties on important issues. We, as a party, have clearly stated we are not opposed to the devolution of policing and justice in principle, my party proposed a number of reasonable measures to make the Executive work. Our responsible approach has 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. ’



“In recent days the Secretary of State and others have attempted to claim that this was a crisis. The reality was that the DUP and Sinn Fein had 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? I will find it interesting to see how Nigel Dodds - policing and justice will not be devolved in a political lifetime, Lord Maurice Morrow - policing and justice will not be devolved in the life of this Assembly, Gregory Campbell - at least 6 years, Tom Buchanan and others who clearly found this decision uncomfortable will defend their decision to rubber stamp the devolution of policing and justice. When Sinn Fein push for the amnesty for ’on the run’ terrorists, when terrorists are brought before the courts who have an IRA background and their release on licence has to be revoked by a Justice Minister, if a situation arises when police have to resort to the use of firearms and questions have to be answered in relation to the side deals of which we have no knowledge - Irish Language funding to name but one - how will our local MLA’s defend their position?.

As an addendum to this statement I would add that I have just taken 4 telephone calls from various members of the security forces who have been the victims of terrorist groupings, they and their families have been to hell and back as a result of orchestrated campaigns by the IRA to murder them and their loved one’s, their message was unequivocal - they support the Ulster Unionist stance and no amount of spin, made up polls, or political pressure will change the view of these people that the Ulster Unionists were right to vote no at this time to the devolution of policing and justice.