No Half-Way House over Devolution says Empey
Friday, March 23rd, 2007
UUP Leader Sir Reg Empey today said that there is no such thing as a half way house over devolution this weekend.
Sir Reg was responding to speculation that some ‘breathing space’ was possible based on how often the Executive meets.
In a statement the UUP Leader said,
“Either there is devolution or there is not. No flexibility exists. People often want to buy time for difficult decisions, but the decisions taken by those who negotiated the St Andrew’s Agreement Act are now coming home to roost.
Once Ministers are nominated and sign the Pledge of Office power is devolved to those Ministers. NIO Ministers are no longer responsible for Departments at that stage and local Ministers are legally responsible. Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness would be responsible jointly for the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister from that point onward.
Whatever arrangements that might be agreed for when and how often the Executive meets during the following few weeks is neither here or there. Power is devolved on Monday or Stormont crashes. That is the legal and political reality and no attempt should be made to deceive people into believing that something else is happening.”