Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Yes, we are closing at 5 p.m.

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen): I am glad of the opportunity to address the Seanad, which has been such a consistent source of encouragement and support for the Government's efforts in the peace process, as we again find ourselves in a period of uncertainty with regard to the ongoing implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.

Suspension of devolved government in Northern Ireland, which took place on 14 October, is clearly a regression in the peace process, and is not one that anyone here, or indeed any supporter of the Agreement, would wish for. However, as I stated to the Dáil last week, it is important to remember that while the devolved institutions may be suspended, the Agreement itself is not. As the Taoiseach put it, the development is a setback and not a defeat for the process.