SINN FEIN is behaving “ridiculously” by refusing to co-operate with the Police Service of Northern Ireland after the declaration by the IRA that it has ended its armed campaign, the force’s Chief Constable said yesterday.

Sir Hugh Orde said: “Every community in Northern Ireland has a right to be policed. We have a right to expect that Sinn Fein politicians will now engage directly, openly and constructively with District Commanders and all officers at local level. It is ridiculous they don’t speak to us on issues such as domestic violence, crimes against the elderly and race crime. It is ridiculous that they don’t speak to us pre-marching, in a formal way, so they can help to shape the marching season rather than criticise from outside.

“And it’s ridiculous that they don’t engage at the top level and represent their communities on the Policing Board.”

He said that the statement was the clearest that the IRA had issued. But he added: “We are not alone in our view that the actions that follow that statement will be crucial and I believe that the Independent Monitoring Commission will play an important part in verifying those actions.”

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