Republican activity

I support the motion. Over recent months, we have witnessed an escalation in attempts by dissident republicans to bring havoc, mayhem, injury and death back to the streets of Northern Ireland. The most recent incident was an attempted murder attack last week, which, but for the grace of God, could have resulted in serious injury or death.

As someone who served in the Royal Ulster Constabulary for more than 30 years, I know how PSNI officers feel when they are being targeted by terrorists. The sole target group for dissidents are the PSNI men and women who are tasked with protecting us all. I wish to put on record my gratitude, and, I hope, that of everyone in the House for the efforts of PSNI officers who courageously go about their daily duties in the midst of such threats. For that reason, the proposed reduction in the transitional allowance paid to PSNI officers should be scrapped immediately. Our police officers continue to face a serious threat; therefore, the payment must continue to be paid at its current rate. I urge the security Minister to act immediately to stop the Police Negotiating Board’s agreement from being implemented.

Individuals who target police officers endanger more people than just those officers; they endanger a farmer in rural Rosslea who discovers a bomb, a schoolteacher in Lisburn, or innocent passers-by driving through Lisnaskea on a Saturday night. Such individuals have no regard for the sanctity of human life. Furthermore, the dissident terrorist has no respect for the majority of Northern Ireland people. A return to violence is not what people in our communities want. They want the Assembly to exercise good government over them in a peaceful and stable environment. Of course, instability is exactly what will feed such organisations within dissident republicanism. That is why Sinn Féin should sit at the Executive table on Thursday and make decisions for the betterment of Northern Ireland.

Much of the dissident activity has been focused in the west of the Province. I spoke to my colleagues from Fermanagh and South Tyrone and to members of the public when I was in the area with my colleague Arlene Foster, and I know that they are alarmed and disgusted by the recent attacks in the Fermanagh area. The county has suffered greatly at the hands of the provisional IRA, and many of my former colleagues in the RUC paid the ultimate sacrifice. The last thing that the decent people of that county want is a return to violence on the streets. It is, therefore, vital that the proposed reduction in the number of police stations is not advanced in that area. Police stations provide a vital service to vulnerable border towns, and they offer an operational and physical, visible reassurance of every aspect of security.

I commend my party leader, the First Minister, for taking time to visit officers who suffered in the recent attacks in Fermanagh. Good morale among PSNI officers is vital, and his commitment and interest shown in the stories of those officers will be a significant morale boost to the force in general.

We do not want the peace on our streets to disappear. I hope that this week’s events will show politics working effectively in this devolved Administration. I support the motion.