Adams silent on IRA army council

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6503199.stm

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Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has refused to say if the IRA's army council will be disbanded ahead of the restoration of devolution.

In an interview with the BBC, Mr Adams would not say if the army council would still be in place when devolution is set to be restored on 8 May.

On Tuesday, DUP MEP resigned from the party in protest over issues including the army council's existence.

Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams agreed to share power from 8 May.

In an interview on Wednesday, Mr Adams expressed confidence that power-sharing would work.

"There may be a 'battle-a-day' (with the DUP) in terms of a lot of trying to get the system tailored to meet the needs of the people," he said.

"I don't think there need necessarily be a battle-a-day between us and the DUP on social and economic issues."

Emergency legislation

The Sinn Fein leader said he did not want to discuss whether the IRA army council would go and "the Jim Allisters of this world" would not be allowed to dictate the agenda.

He added: "I thought we needed to be sensitive to the DUP needs. I thought we needed to be sensible in coming to an accommodation."

Ian Paisley described deal as a "good day"

He insisted "the IRA would continue to be a catalyst for the peace process".

Meanwhile, emergency legislation has been rushed through Parliament to give effect to the historic power-sharing deal brokered in Northern Ireland.

At midnight on Tuesday, the St Andrews Agreement (No. 2) Bill became law.

It followed a lengthy debate in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords following the DUP's decision to share power with Sinn Fein.

Mr Paisley told the Commons on Tuesday that it was a "good day" for the House, for the United Kingdom and for the "people of Ireland, north and south".

The DUP leader said it was a "work-in" rather than "a love-in".