Ard Fheis

Gerry Kelly, Ard Chomhairle speaking in favour of Motion 182.

Published: 1 March, 2008

Bhí díospoireacht oll mhór againn anuraidh mar is eol daoibh. Phléigh muid cúrsaí póilíneachta fud fad na tire. Phléigh muid iad le rialtas na breataine, phéigh muid iad leis na haontachtóirí agus chríochnaigh muid suas anseo leis an Ard Fheis speiséalta.

In the years leading up to the Special Ard Fheis on Policing last year I was along with other comrades centrally involved in the negotiations on this issue with the British government.

We had set ourselves a number of targets to be met before we were prepared to put this issue to a special Ard Fheis. These included progress on accountability, powers of the Policing Board and Ombudsman, the role of MI5, the use of plastic bullets and crucially the transfer of powers on both policing and justice.

Substantial progress on all of these areas was secured and we then embarked on a nationwide debate, involving party activists, the wider republican base and the families of our patriot dead. No other party on this island would have engaged in such a wide ranging and truly democratic process.

We reached a collective decision on the best way to make further advances towards the achievement of a democratically accountable policing service in the north. It was certainly amongst the most difficult and important decisions republicans have made . It was also absolutely the right decision.

Since then I have moved on to an other role as a Junior Minister. Others have taken the lead on this crucial issue with plenty of work still to do. It is our members of the Policing Board and the local DPPs who are now in the frontline of delivering effective accountable policing for our communities. This issue is no longer simply part of a negotiation one step removed from most activists. Delivering policing change is now an everyday part of councilor, MLAs and our activists political work. And can I say here today that the progress already made in such a short period is testament to the hard work you have done and are doing day and daily on this issue.

I need hardly say the PSNI are far from perfect, nobody is trying to pretend that they are. But what is noticeable over the course of the past year has been the levels of scrutiny and indeed proper and constructive criticism which has been provided by Sinn Fein members on the policing board and DPPs and by ordinary nationalists and republicans liberated by our decision here last year. At times this has without doubt been an uncomfortable experience for many within the PSNI - but they may well get used to it because this is the type of effective scrutiny which they will be subjected to in the future. This is good for policing and good for the community.

But despite the obvious advances made both in negotiations and subsequently in delivering accountability through the Board and DPPs we are still not there. We now have to wrestle powers on policing and justice away from Whitehall and into the hands of locally elected politicians.

This is the next big challenge as we move the policing and justices agendas forward. As with every step we have taken along this road it will not be without difficulties.

Tá muid reidh don díospóireacht agus dea idirbheartaíochta eile a bheidh againn leis na daoine seo.

The 'No' men within political unionism are becoming further isolated on this issue. The two governments and all of the other party's are on board. We need to ensure that the voice of communities across the north is heard on this issue. People see the logic and the importance of transferring these powers. This is not an argument that the rejectionists in the DUP will be allowed to win.

Le bogadh chun tosaigh caithfidh muid a bheith cróga.

So I would call on republicans to keep our nerve. Keep delivering policing change. Keep the pressure up on the two governments and keep our eye on the prize of a fully accountable policing service in the north for the first time since partition.