Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 25, inclusive, together.

Discussions in recent weeks have focused on overall political developments in the aftermath of the British elections, with an emphasis on the centrality of the Good Friday Agreement, a complete ending of IRA paramilitary and criminal activity and capability and the continued partnership between both Governments. The Good Friday Agreement is the centrepiece of our policy and its implementation in all its dimensions remains our priority.

I have not met the British Prime Minister, Mr. Blair, since his re-election, but I spoke with him shortly after his success to extend my best wishes for his third term in office. I will, however, meet him in London tomorrow. While our discussions, in view of the imminent and crucially important European Council meeting, will mainly address EU matters, we will also have an opportunity to discuss Northern Ireland. Later this month, the British Prime Minister, Mr. Blair, and I will chair a meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference at which we will discuss the peace process in more detail as well as our co-operation across a range of issues of mutual concern.

I understand the internal consultation process is continuing within the IRA. At this point I cannot say when we can expect this process to be completed. Like every Member, I hope that it will not take much longer. When it does come, it must be clear and decisive and embrace an end to all paramilitarism and criminality as well as the completion of decommissioning. If that happens, and recognising that regaining confidence and trust will inevitably take some time, both Governments will expect Unionists to participate in fully inclusive partnership politics in Northern Ireland.

I have had ongoing contacts with all the political parties. Tomorrow, I will meet the Democratic Unionist Party in London, my first opportunity to meet with it for some time. As the need for an open and constructive relationship between the Democratic Unionist Party and the Government is self-evident, I welcome this opportunity to renew our dialogue. I have met representatives of the SDLP on four occasions and the Ulster Unionist Party and Alliance once since the start of 2005. I have met Sinn Féin representatives on several occasions since the beginning of the year. In addition to the meeting in late January, I met them in Washington on 16 March. I also had several private meetings with Gerry Adams.

Notwithstanding the many difficulties of recent months, I have made it clear that we would maintain contacts with Sinn Féin. Through this engagement, the party can be in no doubt as to the Government's concerns and the need for a clear and decisive response from the IRA which will enable the process to move forward again.

I attended a summit meeting of the British-Irish Council, one of the institutions established under the Agreement, on 20 May in the Isle of Man. The summit had representatives of all eight British-Irish Council members at senior political level from Ireland, England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. The Tánaiste also attended as the main item on the agenda was telemedicine, the delivery of health care information and services using information technology. A programme of work was agreed, which identified a number of other areas where progress can be made on issues of common interest. The British delegation was headed by the British Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Prescott, and included the British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Mr. Hain. I had brief discussions with them about the situation in Northern Ireland.

I met the former US President, Mr. Clinton, in Government Buildings on 23 May. We discussed a wide range of issues, including the situation in Northern Ireland in the aftermath of the British elections, the importance of a positive response from the IRA and the other challenges to the peace process, such as the murder of Robert McCartney. Mr. Clinton maintains a strong interest in the peace process, as he does in other matters that arose in our discussions, including the battle against HIV-AIDS globally and the Asian tsunami relief effort. I have no immediate plans to meet the US President, Mr. Bush.

I addressed the Institute for British-Irish Studies conference in University College Dublin on 27 May. The conference's particular focus was North-South co-operation and the implementation bodies established under the Good Friday Agreement. As these issues are a vital dimension to the agreement, I welcomed the opportunity to profile the ongoing commitment of the Government to pursue progress in every way possible.

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