Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I think we all agree with the politics of inclusion. In the last round of discussions in April 2003 and October 2003 the SDLP and the UUP were working together and others were excluded. They were not totally excluded, but the key issues were the two parties. On 8 December the DUP and Sinn Féin were involved because their mandates put them in that position under the Good Friday Agreement. As regards people being excluded, it was only when we were dealing with issues that other parties had nothing to do with that they were excluded. What the Deputy said about the SDLP is correct, and without the SDLP we would not have had a Good Friday Agreement. We would probably have had nothing in Northern Ireland. Of course, the SDLP has to be kept fully involved at all times and our policy is to do that. That party does not bring anything to the table and neither would it want to in terms of decommissioning and all the other issues we were trying to deal with in putting arms beyond use.

Deputy Rabbitte asked what is the penalty. The penalty is clear. As we stand today, there is no possibility whatsoever of making progress on the peace and confidence that leads to an inclusive working executive and administration in Northern Ireland under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement unless the Sinn Féin leadership comes back to both the Irish Government and the British Government, as requested, to give us answers about the three areas on which we asked for answers, that is, paramilitarism in all its effects and particularly the issues of decommissioning and criminality. I do not think, even if we get answers, we will be able to move fast, but we certainly cannot move in the short term without those answers.

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