Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

On a different matter, comments have been made by members of the UUP and the SDLP that they do not see the inclusive Executive as being politically sustainable. Does the Taoiseach have a view on that? Does the Government feel that if there is an inability to make decisions within the Executive and the Assembly, voluntary coalitions may be formed as time goes by? Does the Taoiseach have any indication of the relevance of this to the continuation of the Assembly?

While this is a matter strictly for Fianna Fáil and the SDLP as parties, I note that the Minister for Foreign Affairs seems to be heading up a sort of charge on behalf of the party up there with regard to organising for elections and so on. In view of the much more serious requirement to implement the Good Friday Agreement in full, the Taoiseach's view should be that the Government must direct all its energies towards full and successful completion of the Agreement. Next year will mark the tenth anniversary of the Agreement and it may be in the Taoiseach's mind to have an anniversary celebration for a successful Agreement in the hope that progress will continue to be made towards implementing it in full.

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