DUP Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment Nigel Dodds has made it clear that devolving policing and justice powers to the Northern Executive will not be easily achieved by the British and Irish governments' target date of next May,notwithstanding the continuing positive relationship between the First Minister, the Rev Ian Paisley, and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.
Mr Dodds also accused his colleague on the Northern Executive, SDLP Minister for Social Development Margaret Ritchie, of "hypocrisy" in her demand for UDA decommissioning.
Mr Dodds's comments were in marked contrast to the stance of Dr Paisley, who is enjoying a relaxed working relationship with Sinn Féin's Mr McGuinness.
Dr Paisley yesterday hailed what he described as the "miracle" of Sinn Féin supporting the police. He told yesterday's London Observer that, while he wanted the disbandment of the IRA army council, he was convinced that republicans were on a purely peaceful path.
"The Shinners didn't want to do that [ support the PSNI] but they were pushed into it and now they are really co-operating with the police. Look at Gerry Adams meeting [ PSNI Chief Constable] Hugh Orde in his West Belfast constituency to discuss crime. That is a miracle," he said.
Mr Dodds, however, took up a combative position on two fronts at the weekend. He used an interview on BBC Radio Ulster's Inside Politics programme on Saturday to state that the DUP was not bound by any May date for the devolution of responsibility for policing and justice to the Executive.
This followed a similar statement last week, wheMr Dodds rounded on Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Shaun Woodward for positing May next year as an achievable date.
"Shaun Woodward made the false assertion that all the political parties had agreed to the devolution of policing and justice powers by May 2008. I told him then in no uncertain terms that the DUP had not signed up to May 2008 or any other arbitrary date set by government."
Mr Dodds said Mr Woodward was being "selective" in his approach to the facts and the DUP would only move on justice when it felt the time was right.
Of Mr Woodward, he added: "He, and his colleagues, are wasting their time."
Mr Dodds's hard words continued on Saturday, when he accused Ms Ritchie of "hypocrisy" by setting a deadline of early next week for the UDA to begin decommissioning or see £1.2 million (€1.7 million) in funding for loyalist areas lost.
Mr Dodds said that Ms Ritchie's position contrasted with what he said was her party's failure to support sanctions against the IRA when it was involved in violence.
His criticism infuriated SDLP leader Mark Durkan, who said Mr Dodds lacked political leadership.
"Nigel Dodds's media attack on Margaret Ritchie is not just out of step with his own party leader, but out of touch with the people of the North - including those living in loyalist communities," Mr Durkan said.
The SDLP leader said Ms Ritchie deserved better from an "Executive colleague than confused and contradictory backbiting. Margaret Ritchie sought to bring this matter to the Executive, but other ministers - including Nigel Dodds - ducked it, saying it was a matter for her."
He added: "The SDLP has consistently called for full decommissioning . . . by all paramilitary groups. The fact that other parties have not been so clear on loyalist engagement with the IICD [ Independent International Commission on Decommissioning] is one of the main reasons why the UDA are still to begin the process of decommissioning, a full 13 years after their ceasefire."
