"Don't play politics with Policing Board": Farry tells Government

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 2nd Aug 2005

Stephen Farry, Alliance Party Spokesperson for Justice, has told the British Government that it mustn't play politics with the Policing Board. Dr Farry was responding to the announcement by the Northern Ireland Secretary of State that the tenure of the current membership of the Policing Board is to continue until no later than October 2006.

Stephen Farry said:

"It is obvious that the Government has extended the tenure of the current Policing Board to facilitate Sinn Fein representatives onto the Board, and to curtail the objections from an increased representation due to the DUP.

"However, this misses the point of whether Sinn Fein is yet fit to join the Policing Board.

"Sinn Fein have yet to sign up to the structures of policing, North or South. The British Government are clearly hoping that Sinn will sign up within the next year, but what further inducements is Sinn Fein going to be offered?

"I fear the Government is once again playing politics with the structures of law and order in Northern Ireland, which is a disservice to all law-abiding citizens."

ENDS