Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I appreciate the support of the Deputy and all the leaders in the House for the Good Friday Agreement. I regret the actions of Michael Stone on Friday. There could have been a real disaster and I commend those involved.

What we agreed at St. Andrews was a significant breakthrough from the old view of the parties that they would not move towards setting up an executive. In April, Prime Minister Blair and I said that we would set 24 November as the date when we wanted to get the full Executive working in Northern Ireland. The parties were to start working with each other from that date. They eventually started working with each other in the summer and while we did not agree on everything in those summer talks, substantial progress was made.

As I reported to the House on the resumption of the Dáil, that progress led us to a position where we thought we could move the parties towards setting up the Executive again. I also made it clear at that stage that this would not happen by 24 November. I also made it clear that we would move to plan B if we had to do so, but that it was not the desired solution.

Last Friday, I said that I was not satisfied with what happened in the Assembly. It was not what Dr. Paisley said, but what he did not say. He has since clarified that. Deputy Rabbitte asked me if I was satisfied that Dr. Paisley has made it clear that he will be the party's nominee when the time comes next March and the answer is "Yes" provided the issue of policing is addressed. I accept that he has addressed that issue and he did so again yesterday in an interview on RTE. His party colleagues also made it clear to the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State and others. That issue is clear.

Sinn Féin must deal with policing and there are still some outstanding issues, especially those related to MI5. Those can hopefully be cleared and we are still working to resolve them. The programme for government committee, which should have started six weeks ago, started last week with a useful meeting and there was another useful meeting yesterday. It is now up and running. As Deputy Rabbitte knows well, dealing with Northern Ireland is always pull and tuck. People never work to the deadlines we want, but progress is always made along the way. We are now in a position where the DUP, Sinn Féin, the UUP and the SDLP will set up a working Executive based on the legislation that was passed last week. If they do not move on as agreed, particularly with issues related to devolution of policing, there is a power in the legislation to strike it down. I hope that will not be necessary.

I interpret last Friday's meeting in positive terms. Dr. Paisley believed that he had clarified the situation and I will not argue whether his silence clarified it. He clarified it shortly afterwards and I am satisfied and so are others that he has done so. It would have been better if he had clarified it in the Assembly. I welcome the fact that the nomination process has been taken. It is deemed to have been taken under the legislation and the Assembly, the British Government and the parties all accept that.

There are a few big hurdles ahead, especially involving policing. If policing is not dealt with before the Assembly and its transitionary form collapses, there would not be much point in having an election. It has to happen before that date in late January. The sooner it happens, the better. Bringing it to a late date will only create more tension and more dissent and difficulties within many parties.

In the meantime, the programme for government committee must deal with a substantive agenda. It should have been dealing with it since October, but hopefully it can deal with it now.

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