Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

Has the Taoiseach had time to think about the suggestion put by the SDLP, the Green Party and others about an interim arrangement to get the institutions in Northern Ireland up and running again? The suggestion is for a ten-member commission appointed by the two Governments to replace the Executive in the interim. Does the Taoiseach agree such an arrangement would allow the Assembly to get back up and running and that it would be an improvement on direct rule, given that the commission would be accountable to the Assembly?

Does he agree that the drift in policy is playing into the hands of anti-Agreement parties? In light of that and other constructive proposals and suggestions coming from other parties, including those in the Opposition, has the Taoiseach had an opportunity to think about his promise to involve Opposition parties in the review of the Good Friday Agreement? Has anything been done to develop that idea and to facilitate that process? In his discussions with the UK Prime Minister, Mr. Blair, has the Taoiseach discussed the implications of the forthcoming referendum on citizenship in the context of the Good Friday Agreement and, if so, has there been any outcome to those discussions?

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