19th January 2000

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Sinn Fein demand moves on Legislation

Statement from Sinn Fein spokesperson on Policing, Gerry Kelly on todays proposals from Peter Mandleson on the Patten Commission.

Mr. Kelly said:

``At the beginning of the consultation process on the Patten proposals the British government promised that a full plan to implement the findings would be produced in December of last year. What we got today, one month late, falls short of that. There is no f ull and detailed plan for implementation nor is there the draft legislation which will actually spell out in detail the intentions of the British government.

``We have today only received a broad outline of the British governments intentions. I am concerned that political threats from the UUP and others to collapse the entire Agreement over the Patten proposals are tied up with this.

``Sinn Fein's position on the RUC is clear. So is our position on the need to establish a new policing service. Obviously we need to see the legislation before making a definitive response to the proposals on the future of policing. It must be remembered that the final judgement on these proposals will be whether or not young nationalists will want or be able to join the policing service.''

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