Empey says Woodward’s a-la-carte comments on Agreement are worthless when some parties didn’t even know what was on the Menu
Ulster Unionist Party Leader Sir Reg Empey said the Secretary of State’ comments on the need for a speedy resolution to the question of devolving policing and justice and that people couldn’t take an ‘a la carte’ approach to the St. Andrews Agreement were worthless.
Sir Reg said it was ridiculous to expect parties to be behoven to an entire agreement when they were not privy, nor asked for their opinion on the agreement in its entirety.
In a statement Sir Reg said,
“The Secretary of State appears to be in a hurry to force the devolution of policing and justice on the people of Northern Ireland, presumably to a timetable agreed between the DUP and Sinn Fein in St. Andrews. He invoked that people could not take an a la carte approach to the St Andrews Agreement.
I have to say the Ulster Unionist Party is not behoven to the St Andrews Agreement. To go a la carte requires a detailed knowledge of your choices on the menu. There have been many surprise announcements emanating from St Andrews that many of the parties had no knowledge of.
We were not consulted on a timetable for the Devolution of Policing and Justice. In present circumstances we would only consider it when there was sufficient public confidence for it to happen.
There is no current appetite nor confidence for the devolution of policing and justice to take place. It is too soon and any attempt to force it through could destabilise the Assembly. Taken with the recent announcement that Fianna Fail is seeking to organise in Northern Ireland, it is not inconceivable that a Fianna Fail Minister could end up in charge. This would give Unionists further reason to reconsider any moves to devolve Policing and Justice.”