Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Tánaiste for his reply and I record again our appreciation of the work of Ambassador Haass and Dr. O'Sullivan up to the end of December. Will the Tánaiste agree that the Downing Street Declaration of 1993, the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 and the St. Andrews Agreement of 2010 were achieved between the two sovereign Governments and the parties working together but, very importantly, the talks were led and driven by the two sovereign Governments? We know there has been a devolution of powers but the issues under discussion that remain to be resolved predate the devolution of powers. They are also issues that will place responsibility on both Governments to enact measures to deal with the outcomes of those discussions. Will the Tánaiste agree with me and with the comments of the SDLP leader, Alasdair McDonnell, that both Governments need to be in the room to bring these talks to a successful conclusion? We need those talks to be brought to a successful conclusion for the benefit of all of this island.

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