Executive meeting may be cancelled
Wednesday September 17 2008
A crunch meeting of Northern Ireland's cabinet scheduled for tomorrow looks set to be cancelled.
A public row between Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) broke out tonight at the same time as they are involved in private talks to end their long-running dispute.
Meanwhile there was speculation that unionist and nationalist cabinet members may meet without Sinn Fein ministers tomorrow if the planned session of the full Executive does not go ahead.
Northern Ireland's government ministers have not met since June as a result of the stand-off between the DUP and Sinn Fein over the transfer of policing and Justice powers to Stormont.
Republicans are frustrated at the unionist delay in introducing the powers and have effectively blocked Executive meetings as a result.
Tonight Sinn Fein's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness wrote to the DUP leader and First Minister Peter Robinson seeking support for the emergency passage of fuel poverty measures if tomorrow's cabinet meeting is cancelled.
But within minutes a letter emerged from Mr Robinson who dismissed the plan as being a breach of procedures.
``I welcome your recognition that this issue should be given urgent consideration and merits wider Executive discussion,'' said Mr Robinson.
``It is therefore essential that tomorrow's scheduled meeting proceeds as planned.''
Ulster Unionist leader and Employment Minister Reg Empey, meanwhile, signalled that if the cabinet meeting was called off he would be open to holding a ministerial meeting without Sinn Fein.
