British Government publishes Northern Ireland Bill

The British government tonight published a bill which it hopes will allow devolution to go ahead in the North this week. The draft legislation attempts to reassure Unionists that they will not be forced to sit in a power-sharing executive with Sinn Féin if the IRA fails to hand in its weapons. But, after an hour long meeting with the British prime minister, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble said that there were still problems with the bill and that his party would be tabling amendments to it before it is debated in the House of Commons tomorrow.

Sinn Féin tonight appeared unhappy with the fail safe legislation and said that it was seeking legal advice. Assembly member Bairbre de Brun claimed the British Government was attempting to railroad through unnecessary legislation without proper consultation. She accused it of pandering to the most negative aspects of unionism. Alliance Party leader Sean Neeson said that there were a number of matters in the legislation that needed clarification.

Under the proposals, it would be up to General de Chastelain to judge whether any party was in breach of its committments on decommissioning. If that were the case, the bill allows for the suspension of the institutions established under the Good Friday Agreement, pending a review of the process by the two governments. Following that review, the assembly would then be able to debate and vote on what action to take. However, the draft legislation in itself does not allow for the exclusion of Sinn Féin from the executive - that could only happen following a vote of the assembly involving cross-community support.