Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

Will the Taoiseach comment on where we now are and where we are going from here? Will the Taoiseach outline to the House what steps he intends to take to prevent the political process in Northern Ireland descending into an unhealthy and undemocratic vacuum? I take it from what the Taoiseach has said that it is not his intention to allow Sinn Féin to hold the process to ransom. In that regard has he any specific plans in terms of how the process can be kept on track? I am not arguing for the exclusion of anyone but does the Taoiseach agree it was an error of judgment on the part of both Governments for the best part of 12 months to exclude the SDLP, the Ulster Unionist Party, the Alliance and others? Does he have plans in terms of how the democratic parties might be involved in a central way? For instance, is he minded to agree that the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation be reconvened to allow the democratic parties to express their views on the impasse that has occurred?

Is it the case that a van was stolen in this jurisdiction in November, apparently in preparation for the crime we now know to have been the robbery of the Northern Bank, and that it crossed out of this jurisdiction the day before? Does that information form part of the Taoiseach's intelligence on this issue? Without endangering any prosecution that might ensue, is he in a position to put any additional information he has in his possession about this matter into the public domain at this time?

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