Major divisions have emerged between Sinn Féin leaders and grassroots
members over possible future support for the Police Service of Northern
Ireland (PSNI).
A draft copy of the clar, for the Sinn Féin ard fheis later this month, has
been obtained by the Sunday Tribune. An ard comhairle motion calls for a
"new beginning to policing".
Gerry Adams will propose a special conference to decide Sinn Féin's position
on the PSNI if the British government and DUP make certain commitments on
transferring policing powers from London to Stormont.
However, hardline motions from many cumainn across the country strongly
oppose supporting the PSNI under any circumstances. Such support is regarded
as a prerequisite for Sinn Féin entering government in the North.
A motion from eight cumainn in Tyrone, Monaghan, Louth and Dublin says Sinn
Féin "cannot participate in any six-county policing arrangements until a
timetable for a British withdrawal from Ireland has been agreed".
Another motion, supported by the Queen's University Belfast cumann and five
others, says Sinn Féin must engage in policing only in "a 32 county republic
free from British rule".
A third motion directs Sinn Féin not to support any police force which
upholds British law and ultimately answers to the British Prime Minister.
A fourth motion urges Sinn Féin leaders to listen to their own members and
"resist pressure from the Irish, British and US governments to sign up to an
unacceptable police force currently controlled by British securocrats".
After policing powers are transferred to Stormont, Gerry Adams and Martin
McGuinness are expected, at the special ard fheis, to recommend Sinn Féin
takes its seats on the North's Policing Board, effectively supporting the
PSNI.
Republican sources didn't know if the leadership would allow the hardline
motions to be discussed at the annual ard fheis at the RDS in a fortnight.
They predicted that, despite strong grassroots unease, the leadership's
position on policing would prevail as it did with entering Stormont and
decommissioning.
There is also widespread opposition from cumainn to entering a coalition
government in the Republic. "This ard fheis resolves that Sinn Féin should
not enter any coalition or pact with any parties in the 26 counties before
or after the next general election," states one motion.
