Woodward urges parties to work together on policing

Parties in Northern Ireland must all join together to guarantee dissidents do not become a "major threat" to those in the province, Shaun Woodward has said. Skip related content

The Northern Ireland secretary spoke following the publication of a report from the Independent Monitoring Commission which said the dissident republican threat was the highest in six years.

The report found the Real and Continuity IRA had been working more closely to increase the threat posed to security forces.

During Commons question time Woodward said the quick devolution of police powers would be a "potent intervention" in helping to prevent the threat.

Woodward told MPs the report had been clear about the problems facing Northern Ireland such as criminals calling themselves dissidents.

"It's very, very clear that there is a political solution and what they advocate is that actually early devolution of policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland assembly could provide a potent intervention," he said.

Woodward added the report had been clear in highlighting that groups such as the Real IRA and Continuity IRA are to blame.

"Those groups are extremely dangerous and a political solution is urged as a matter of urgency," said Woodward.

Shadow Northern Ireland secretary Owen Paterson said the report had contained some encouraging signs but also some "deeply worrying" information.

He said all four parties in the coalition must work together in finalising both details and timing.