Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Various comments have been made about the DUP proposals. They are interesting and constructive. They certainly differ from what the party has said over the years. What must be focused upon above all is that any proposal that is not inclusive and does not allow for power sharing and total participation by all sides will not work. These are strand one proposals which open up the debate. A number of people who have expressed reservations about them have also said they at least constitute a blueprint which will enable people to begin work. The proposals have been interpreted both positively and negatively by different people. I do not wish to go into the merits and demerits of the DUP proposals. They contain a great deal of detail which is crucial and must be examined comprehensively.

The core of the peace process and the Agreement is that there should be full inclusive partnership on a cross-community basis. As I have said many times since the election, that is the real issue on which the DUP and all the other parties must focus. The review is not about the fundamentals of the Agreement. Neither Nationalist party in Northern Ireland will sign up to any dilution of the partnership proposals we have worked on over the last six years. The question for any proposal on the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive is whether it meets the test of partnership. When people look, not just at the DUP's proposals, but all the proposals that will be discussed over the next few weeks, that is the test they must see. That is what they must focus on. Both Sinn Féin and the SDLP have made it clear they see difficulties with the proposals as they stand. Any new proposals will have to attract consensus.

That is a challenge for the DUP, but it certainly is a move away from where we have been, hitherto. In fairness to the DUP and these proposals about strand one, while we are not directly involved, we have an interest in the overall balance of the Agreement and this has to be preserved. The DUP proposals are an opening position. We should examine them and then see how they evolve in future discussions.

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