Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

As I said, there is no need for a special summit because at every meeting we stress these important matters, in particular the Finucane case, collusion and issues from the past involving a number of cases with which we have been dealing from the historical position. We raise these continually with the British Government. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, also raised them with the Secretary of State, Mr. Peter Hain, and I raised them again at our recent meetings.

On the Pat Finucane inquiry in particular, it is always a source of difference between us. We continue to fully support the holding of an independent public inquiry into this case. We have made clear that we want the standard agreed at Weston Park and set by Judge Cory adhered to. We continue to share the concern of the Finucane family and Judge Cory, a point I have continually made, that the new Inquiries Act, under which the British Government intends to have the Finucane case investigated, will not meet these standards. We continue to raise these issues with the British Government and we continue to support the Finucane family 100%.

We have been involved and engaged on behalf of families and support groups in a number of other cases in raising the issues concerned. I assure Deputy Ó Caoláin that I do that at all times.

On the issue of the date, I have already answered that question. The date in November is real and fixed. Our aim is to secure the restoration of the devolved institutions and the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. Deputy Ó Caoláin and other Members know I do not want to move away from the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. However, if forced to do so, we will have to operate a new partnership arrangement with the British Government, but I would prefer not to do that, and I have made that clear. If forced to do so, we will have no alternative but to secure the Agreement as best we can. I have told the loyalist groups, the political groups, all the parties, the British Government and the Americans that the Irish Government's position is full implementation of the Agreement, as the people voted for and as was negotiated. The alternative is definitely a plan B, as far as we are concerned. If we have to move to plan B we will do so, and will be ready to do that post-haste if that is what we face.

As I said, it would be far better if the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin were to have meetings. Good progress has been made, the joint chair arrangement has worked and substantive agreements have also worked, but there are outstanding issues. It is a year since decommissioning and even longer since the IRA statement on ending all its activities. I take this first opportunity of Question Time when answering questions on the North to urge the parties to engage positively over the coming period. They should not be tempted to play for time. We are serious about the deadline. It is fixed. I hope no party will make the mistake of underestimating the seriousness of the Governments' intent. We have given the parties more than enough time. We gave this deadline at the beginning of April, it was not a case of stating it in the middle of the summer or in the autumn. We must move the process forward. We need to know whether people want to govern together or not. There is an enormous responsibility on all the partners, but particularly on the largest parties, to move forward.

Deputy Ó Caoláin knows my view on a point where I believe he can also help. It is that Sinn Féin will have to commit completely to policing in the context of an agreement. Any right thinking person should understand the significance of this. Northern Ireland would be an entirely different place in a context where agreement on government and policing were finally achieved. This obviously is an issue that must be resolved. I accept it must be resolved as part of an overall agreement, but it is a very important issue. The best way of making progress on this in the short term is for the DUP and Sinn Féin in particular to engage — all the parties are engaging — and sit down and deal with this issue.

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