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Ulster Unionist Policing spokesperson Fred Cobain has said that community restorative justice schemes in republican areas must respond positively to the government protocols that place the PSNI at the heart of the process.

In a statement, Mr Cobain said: “After the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis policing motion, Gerry Adams voiced support for the police and urged young people to join the PSNI.

“While his comments are welcome, it’s now up to scheme organisers to respond positively.

“If we are to see the potential within Mr Adams’s statements realised, then community restorative justice programmes in republican areas must sign up to policing.

“Anyone who seeks involvement in the criminal justice process must support the police. There’s no other option available. And the Minister has made it clear that any scheme which refuses to sign up to the protocols will not be accredited and they will not receive funding support.

“So where’s the problem? The position is clear – adherence to the rule of law is the cornerstone of democratic society. Support for, and cooperation with, policing must be central to any scheme. Republicans are being urged to do no more or less than anyone else.”

Ulster Unionist Policing spokesperson Fred Cobain has said that community restorative justice schemes in republican areas must respond positively to the government protocols that place the PSNI at the heart of the process.

In a statement, Mr Cobain said: “After the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis policing motion, Gerry Adams voiced support for the police and urged young people to join the PSNI.

“While his comments are welcome, it’s now up to scheme organisers to respond positively.

“If we are to see the potential within Mr Adams’s statements realised, then community restorative justice programmes in republican areas must sign up to policing.

“Anyone who seeks involvement in the criminal justice process must support the police. There’s no other option available. And the Minister has made it clear that any scheme which refuses to sign up to the protocols will not be accredited and they will not receive funding support.

“So where’s the problem? The position is clear – adherence to the rule of law is the cornerstone of democratic society. Support for, and cooperation with, policing must be central to any scheme. Republicans are being urged to do no more or less than anyone else.”

Ulster Unionist North Belfast assembly candidate Fred Cobain has today welcomed the announcement by Criminal Justice Minister David Hanson of the new guidelines on how community-based restorative justice schemes must operate.

Cllr Cobain said: “Today’s restorative justice guidelines are a welcome contribution to how these schemes are to be administered.

“I welcome the Minister’s commitment that the finalised protocol puts police at the centre of the process and that the high-standards we rightly expect from the protocol are “non-negotiable”. These are important principles which must be observed.

“There can be no suggestion of two-tier policing and these guidelines tighten up what was there previously.

“Restorative justice programmes have a valuable role to play in how we tackle anti-social behaviour in our communities. There is real potential here and we are pleased to see that the Minister is going to open up access to funding so that accredited schemes can get up and running.”

Ulster Unionist North Belfast assembly candidate Fred Cobain has today welcomed the announcement by Criminal Justice Minister David Hanson of the new guidelines on how community-based restorative justice schemes must operate.

Cllr Cobain said: “Today’s restorative justice guidelines are a welcome contribution to how these schemes are to be administered.

“I welcome the Minister’s commitment that the finalised protocol puts police at the centre of the process and that the high-standards we rightly expect from the protocol are “non-negotiable”. These are important principles which must be observed.

“There can be no suggestion of two-tier policing and these guidelines tighten up what was there previously.

“Restorative justice programmes have a valuable role to play in how we tackle anti-social behaviour in our communities. There is real potential here and we are pleased to see that the Minister is going to open up access to funding so that accredited schemes can get up and running.”

Speaking after the publication of the Ombudsman’s Report today, UUP MLA and Police Board Member Fred Cobain said,

“The Ombudsman’s report raises serious allegations over the behaviour of individual police officers.

The allegations paint a picture that falls far short of the integrity and professional ethics that citizens expect of police officers.

If such behaviour can be proven then naturally prosecutions should follow. In the absence of hard facts leading to prosecution this report will be seen as one-sided.

Citizens rightly judge the police by a higher standard - the rule of law. It’s what sets our society apart from the terrorists. Those whose agenda is hell-bent on tarnishing the memory of the RUC should not be given carte blanche to do so.

The UUP is concerned that we are creating a one sided so called truth commission. Who, for example, is investigating the conspiracies and sabotage of republicans during this period?

A time must come when this community draws a line under past events. Regrettably there will never be full justice for all.

The sacrifice of the RUC enabled our society to survive the Troubles, and give us an opportunity for a fresh start.

It is up to us now, on behalf of a new generation, to seize that opportunity and ensure that the enormous sacrifice of all the security forces were not in vain.”

Given Northern Ireland’s disappointing experience with ASBOs, newly unveiled Home Office plans to introduce ‘Super ASBOs’ to target top criminals will not inspire optimism, according to Ulster Unionist Policing Spokesperson Fred Cobain.

The North Belfast MLA said that government may very well claim that the Serious Crime Bill will “make life harder for organised crime syndicates”, but that’s precisely what the ARA had been doing when the government abolished it. So where does this leave government commitments to law and order, he said.

In a statement, Mr Cobain said: “The Serious Crime Bill which was unveiled earlier this week contains plans for Serious Crime Prevention Orders (SCPOs) – or Super ASBO.

“The track record of the ASBO in Northern Ireland does not inspire confidence. The government are too fond of headline-grabbing gimmicks than in producing a fit for purpose tool to tackle anti-social behaviour. Why will this Super ASBO fare any better?”

He added: “The abolition of the ARA was a major blow. Labour sacrifices an effective agency one week then trumpets its Super ASBO the next.

“Last December the National Audit Office revealed that nearly six out of 10 offenders have been breaching their ASBOs. That is the record for petty thugs. How on earth does the government expect to get any better results from prevention orders against experienced, hardened criminals?

“So the government removes the ARA – which seized nearly £16 million of assets from crime lords – and then relaunches a rehashed and tired old measure which failed the first time round.

“The government claims that the Serious Crime Bill will “make life harder for organised crime syndicates”. That’s what the ARA did – but somehow the government managed to overlook that when it abolished a successful local agency.”

Concluding he said: “ASBOs were first introduced here over two years ago. But up to November last year just 18 full ASBOs and 11 interim ASBOs were handed out.

“This compares to nearly 7,500 that have been handed out in England and Wales since 1999.

“Either Northern Ireland is relatively free of anti-social behaviour – which we know it isn’t – or the ASBO has been a relative failure. Has anyone any real faith that the Super ASBO can fare any better?”

Ulster Unionist Party Social Development spokesperson, Fred Cobain MLA, has welcomed today’s unveiling by NICVA (the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action) of its 2007 policy manifesto.

NICVA represents 4,500 community and voluntary sector organisations, working in communities across Northern Ireland.

Speaking after the launch, Mr Cobain said: “NICVA’s manifesto highlights the social justice challenges facing our society. In a wide range of issues - including education, carers, children, disability, older people, and housing - we are falling far short of what should be the case in a fair and decent society.

“NICVA has proposed a range of policies to address these challenges, and the Ulster Unionist Party looks forward to engaging with the community and voluntary sector to promote a social justice agenda for Northern Ireland.

“I also strongly endorse NICVA’s call for the restoration of devolved government. Too often, under Direct Rule, Northern Ireland has been allowed to lag behind progressive developments in the other devolved regions.  This part of the United Kingdom deserves better - which is why Northern Ireland needs devolution”.

As elected representatives, and as a community, we cannot walk by and pretend that our society is not weakened by the harsh reality of homelessness, Ulster Unionist DSD Spokesperson Fred Cobain has told an Assembly debate on affordable housing today.

Addressing the Chamber, the North Belfast MLA said that the ongoing failure to expand the provision of social housing according to need is a major contributor to the growth of homelessness.

He said: “We are all diminished by the experiences endured by homeless families, children and young people - we all lose when the barrier of homelessness prevents families, children and young people from fully sharing in and contributing to our society.

“Children and young people who experience homelessness are often prevented by their experiences from fulfilling their potential in education, and are more likely to have acute health problems, including mental ill-health.

“The very fact of homelessness in our society is shameful in itself - but that the number of homeless households should be increasing year-on-year demonstrates that existing policy is a failure.”

Mr Cobain referred to Simon Community figures which suggest that just 651 of 15,768 new houses built in the year ending March 2005 were social rented housing. At the same time, DSD Housing Statistics reveal that 29,819 households are on Housing Executive waiting lists – and last year 17,362 households presented as homeless to the NIHE.

“At the moment we’re losing 1,500 homes a year. New builds are not keeping pace with NIHE house sales,” he said.

“The Affordability Review has suggested that there needs to be a social housing building programme of 2,000 completions a year to turn this around.”

The North Belfast MLA added: “Housing problems cut across every section of society, and across every townland in the country.

“What is the central issue? On the face of it, it might simply be that demand has massively outstripped supply. But that is an incomplete answer.

“The absolute and central issue is this – securing fundamental rights and entitlements for Northern Ireland’s citizens. If we are serious about creating a fair, stable and just society then we have to get this right.”

Concluding, he said: “We know that too many of our children have early years blighted by exclusion, instead of lives full of promise.

“Devolved assemblies have shown imagination in dealing with this issue. The absolute and core aim of any future local administration must be to help build fair and decent communities for all of us.

“In the face of Direct Rule’s failure, it’s my view that the best people to understand and reflect concerns in society are Northern Ireland’s locally elected representatives operating within the devolved assembly.”

Commenting on the Prime Minister’s written statement in the House of Commons today on policing, Ulster Unionist Policing Spokesperson Fred Cobain has said:

“This statement may offer much delight for Sinn Fein, but it creates a confused mess for the rest of us to deal with.

“I fear that, in his rush to appease Sinn Fein, Mr Blair has lost his way completely by raising further questions marks over the Policing and Justice Ministry.

“A close reading of the PM’s statement would suggest that any future Minister for Justice will have considerable influence and involvement in policing oversight. Given that the Secretary of State has mooted the silly idea of an independent Minister, this represents a matter of grave concern.

“For example, when Lord Carlile comes to review these arrangements would an ‘independent’ Minister have equal weight to the Policing Board? The Policing Board is representative of the democratically expressed will of the people of Northern Ireland. How could it be right for an individual, independent of democratic opinion, to carry equal weight in policing oversight?

“That would be a clear abuse of democratic principles and is totally unacceptable.”

He added: “According to Mr Blair, the PSNI and Security Services will be distinct and separate. That is as it was.

“He also says that the Security Service will have “no role whatsoever in civic policing”. MI5’s primary activity is counter-terrorism. So unless dissident activity is now considered to be a domestic/civic policing matter, nothing has changed. The government must make it clear that this is the case.

“Republican terror always had an international element to it, as the Florida gun-running, Colombia Three and the Marita Ann episodes clearly show. The security services must continue to be in the frontline in the fight against dissidents.

“As the new MI5 building in Holywood shows, any attempt to claim that MI5 are on the way out is clearly false.”

Concluding he said: “Sinn Fein have lost the battle on policing. But due to bad negotiating tactics by the DUP we’re seeing the government continuing to pander to republicans.

“Sinn Fein have nowhere else to go, but somehow the DUP are allowing circumstances to persist whereby the Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is having to indulge the demands of Sinn Fein when it’s simply not necessary or justified.”

Marking Homelessness Awareness Week, Ulster Unionist Party Social Development Spokesperson, Fred Cobain MLA, and Family and Children’s Spokesperson, Esmond Birnie MLA, have urged government, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and wider society to seriously address the growing scandal of homelessness.

According to NIHE figures, the number of homeless households has risen from 8,470 in 2004-05 to 9,749 in 2005-06.

In a statement, Mr Cobain said: “The very fact of homelessness in our society is shameful in itself - but that the number of homeless households should be increasing year-on-year demonstrates that existing policy is a failure.

“This is not the fair and just society that people in Northern Ireland aspire to. In particular, the ongoing failure to expand the provision of social housing according to need is a major contributor to the growth of homelessness.

“Four years on from the publication of the Northern Ireland Homelessness Strategy, the Direct Rule Administration has failed to listen to NIHE, organisations representing and providing services to those who are homeless, and to elected representatives. While progress to address homelessness has been made under the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales, policy under Direct Rule in Northern Ireland has been marked by an inexcusable indifference.”

Commenting on the fact that up to 1/3rd of homeless households are families with children (approximately 50% of these include pre-school children), and that over 50% of Simon Community residents are young people aged 16-25, Mr Birnie said: “Homelessness scars the lives of too many families, too many children and too many young people in Northern Ireland.

“Children and young people who experience homelessness are often prevented by their experiences from fulfilling their potential in education, and are more likely to have acute health problems, including mental ill-health.

“As elected representatives and as a community, we cannot walk by on the other side and pretend that our society is not weakened by the harsh reality of homelessness. We are all diminished by the experiences endured by homeless families, children and young people - we all lose when the barrier of homelessness prevents families, children and young people from fully sharing in and contributing to our society.”