18th June 2003

---

Kelly - Criminal Justice Plan welcomed but more required

Gerry Kelly, Sinn Fein spokesperson on Criminal Justice, has welcomed the publication of a new and significantly revised Criminal justice Implementation Plan but has said that much work still needs to be done to achieve a representative, fair and human rights based justice system.

Mr. Kelly said:

``Criminal Justice was one of the key areas Sinn Fein raised in the recent negotiation with the British and Irish governments. We pointed out that the new Act and the accompanying Implementation Plan would not produce the changes necessary in the Criminal Justice system.

``The British government agreed to produce a new Implementation plan and new legislation which will place a much greater emphasis on all-Ireland co-operation, on human rights, on achieving representatives and on accountability. These developments were hard won. But much work is still to be done, including the transfer of justice powers to a local Assembly, if we are to achieve a criminal justice system which is fair, representative and which commands the confidence of the entire community''.ENDS

---

Sinn Fein Press Office, 44 Parnell Square, Dublin 1
Tel: +353-1-8726100 and +353-1-8726839   ·   Fax +353-1-8733074
E-mail: sfpress@eircom.net   ·   Website: http://www.sinnfein.org

---

Sinn Fein   ·   Sinn Fein Documents

---