Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Will the Taoiseach report to the House on his meeting with the British Prime Minister yesterday and the briefing both Prime Ministers were given by the Garda Commissioner and the Chief Constable of the PSNI? Were the Taoiseach and Prime Minister Blair given new information which further confirmed their stated views that the Northern Bank robbery was carried out by the Provisional IRA with the knowledge of the leadership of Sinn Féin? Can the Taoiseach confirm that both Governments are more clear in their understanding that such was the case? In particular, will the Taoiseach confirm that, following the briefings he was given yesterday, it is now apparently obvious that this bank robbery was being planned over a period of two years and that the Sinn Féin leadership was well aware of a so-called fund raising spectacular being prepared?

In view of the huge damage caused to the Good Friday Agreement and the break down of negotiations, will the Taoiseach repeat that the onus is on the republican movement to show clearly that it is committed to democratic politics and the path of peace and that a gesture of credibility which could be made by the IRA and the republican movement is the unilateral decommissioning of arms that will never be used and which have become the subject of barter in the negotiations? Does the Taoiseach believe they could do this as a measure of credibility and to show that they are serious about getting back to a position where negotiations towards a conclusion of the peace process can begin again?

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