We're making progress, says Paisley

12 April 2012

Progress is being made towards the restoration of devolution in Northern Ireland, the Reverend Ian Paisley said.

After a lengthy meeting with Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain at Stormont, the DUP leader emerged to say: "I think we are making progress, I hope we will succeed in what we are seeking to do. It will rest with the IRA delivering, but I think we are seeing progress and I am encouraged this morning."

However, asked whether devolution would occur by the Government's deadline of March 26, he said: "I can't really answer that. We are making progress. I have done all I can do and I have gone more than a second way."

Mr Paisley said his increased mandate in last week's election had strengthened his hand in negotiation. "I can afford now to go a bit further because I am confident the people are with me."

But he said he had been severely criticised by people who were personal friends, and remained personal friends, because they did not agree with what he had done.

He welcomed Sinn Fein's insistence that anyone with information about two murders in Belfast should give it to the police.

"It is not enough but it is part of the way," he said, making clear he expected Sinn Fein to do more to satisfy him that it is fully committed to backing policing structures.

He revealed that, had he been First Minister last week, with Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness as his deputy, he would have had to resign his post because of Sinn Fein's criticism of the police for arresting a republican election candidate.

Sinn Fein accused the police of "political policing" when they detained the candidate - a republican who broke away from Sinn Fein - and questioned him about the attempted murder of a soldier more than 25 years ago. The man has since been charged with attempted murder.

Mr Paisley said: "I could not have sat in one part of the coalition with the other part attacking the police for making an arrest."

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