Minister Cowen Condemns Intimidation of Members of the Northern Ireland Policing Board and District Police Partnerships
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Brian Cowen T.D., has condemned the intimidation of members of the Northern Ireland Policing Board and District Police Partnerships.
“Any suggestion of any intimidation of any members of those boards is absolutely unacceptable and reprehensible. There is no context, no circumstance in which it is justifiable. These are people in communities who are out there trying to bring about the necessary changes and provide for a better society and a better policed society in Northern Ireland. The Governments have put a lot of work into it jointly and we are determined that that work will be advanced and will be respected” the Minister said.
The Minister welcomed the work that has been done by the Policing Board and the District Policing Partnerships since reforms have been put in place.
“I call on everybody, including Sinn Féin and others to consider joining the District Police Partnerships and the Policing Board as soon as possible. It is simply not acceptable for any of the voluntary effort being made by members of those boards to be subjected to any harassment, implied or direct or in any other sense. The Government will not bide by that and they'll condemn it unequivocally. They have out total support on the excellent work that they are doing and they will continue to have that support in the days and weeks and months and years ahead.” the Minister said.
