Level
of North-South co-operation `unprecedented'
From IRISH TIMES August 30th, 2000
The second North-South Ministerial Council summit is due late next month
in Dublin, to be followed in October by a summit of the British-Irish Council
in Dublin. Meanwhile, senior SDLP politicians continue to warn that any
dilution of the Patten proposals on policing could damage the political
process. The Deputy First Minister, Mr Seamus Mallon, who yesterday met
the Northern Secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, for more than 90 minutes, said
SDLP MPs would monitor the final stages of the police Bill through the British
parliament.
He said if the Bill was not significantly amended to meet the concerns of
the SDLP "it could have a very serious detrimental effect on the entire political process". The SDLP chief whip, Mr Eddie McGrady MP, said specifically
there must be amendments in relation to the RUC name, the badge and flag,
the powers of inquiry of the Policing Board, the role and remit of the Northern
Secretary, the Police Ombudsman and the Oversight Commissioner. |
