By Lesley Foottit - 5th October 2009
Gordon Brown is holding talks with Northern Ireland's political leaders in a bid to resolve the latest row at Stormont.
Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionists are at odds over the issue of when policing and justice powers should be transferred from Westminster.
DUP first minister Peter Robinson is approaching the matter cautiously, while Sinn Fein deputy first minister Martin McGuinness is pressing for immediate devolution.
While the DUP supports the move, it will not approve it until the Treasury produces a cash package, thought to be around £600m, to support the region's new justice department.
The prime minister hopes his intervention can encourage the parties to reach agreement on the timing of the devolution.
Sinn Fein believes the funding is important, but has accused Robinson of using the matter as an excuse to delay proceedings.
The first minister has insisted there must be sufficient agreement within the unionist community before the move goes ahead, and has said the devolution of policing and justice will not take place before Christmas.
The DUP also fears the electoral fallout from the move, with the anti-agreement Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) party opposing it.
Social Democratic and Labour Party policing spokesman Alex Atwood believes Sinn Fein is complicit in the row.
Attwood said: "This was a blunt and backward message from Peter Robinson. There won't be devolution of justice, not only before Christmas but also before the Westminster elections. The DUP has decided that the best way to turn the TUV tide next year is to hold up devolution of policing and justice and claim that nationalism has been held up into the bargain.
"This is a fundamentally wrong approach. The new phases of justice reform -desperately and clearly needed- cannot wait. People's safety and protection will suffer while devolution of justice on Sinn Fein and the DUP's watch stalls and stumbles.
"Peter Robinson can say there will be no devolution before Christmas because Martin McGuinness stacked all the cards into the DUP's hands.
"The SDLP has always said this was a deep strategic error. That's now clear for all to see."
While in Stormont, the prime minister was also set to meet Northern Ireland's new chief constable Matt Baggott to discuss the current threat posed by republican extremists.
Brown will also hold talks with the leaders of the other main political parties.
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd