Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

As far as the vacuum is concerned, in the period up to the election it was not possible to make progress and everyone reluctantly accepted that. In the past few weeks, we have been trying to regain momentum on the basis of progress. As I noted in my reply, that is based on a decision to embrace the issues which we did not succeed in completing on 8 December last year. These are the ending of paramilitarism and criminality as well as the completion of decommissioning, followed by an attempt to rebuild trust and confidence. As the House is aware, it will take some time, I hope not too much time, to regain confidence in the process. Thereafter we hope that everyone, particularly the Unionists, will re-engage in an inclusive process. As Deputy Finian McGrath is aware, whether we can genuinely make progress in the way we wish is predicated on the quality of the response to the initiative currently under discussion. We await that response and hope we will not have too long to wait.

On the question of new initiatives by former President Clinton, that is not his function, but he regularly keeps in touch with all sides, both here and in the United States, and receives briefings from our embassy in the United States. He keeps in touch on any matters that arise. He is generally supportive of the Administration and President Bush on the basis of a bipartisan relationship, which he is anxious to see continue on Capitol Hill. It is not his function to propose new initiatives but clearly he supports what is happening and wants to see it work in the period ahead. He is committed to the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and the avoidance of attempts to go down any other road.

On the question of statements on Irish unity, this matter was discussed in the multi-party talks and the Good Friday Agreement and, as was very clear at that time, it is two-fold. The issue is dealt with on the basis of consent and any decision to change the position will be made by a vote of the people in Northern Ireland. It was considered that after perhaps a decade of the working of the Good Friday Agreement, there would be polls from time to time, the first one taking place towards the end of this decade, in 2008.

The Good Friday Agreement has not been working as it was envisaged at that time. Hence, the reason this matter is not on the agenda or being discussed is that it has not formed the part which we wished, and that remains the position. It would be neither productive nor helpful to press the issue because it would be contrary to that to which we agreed and signed up. That is why it is not being discussed.

I assure Deputy Finian McGrath that while the issue is at times slow and painstaking, the reality is an enormous effort was made three times during 2003 and 2004. Each of those initiatives moved the process on and made substantial progress, but not enough. That is the issue. It is clear what might work. That is what we are endeavouring to do.

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