Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

What the Minister of State said is logical. He said that if the Assembly is elected, whatever its configuration, and cannot appoint an Executive, it will be suspended. We do not have any power in respect of the suspension of the Assembly. In the Agreement, it is a matter for the British Government. There is not tacit acceptance of that in the letter in the Schedule from His Excellency to the Minister. This has been a point of contention in the past. One will recall that the Irish Government has taken a separate view to the British Government in relation to the suspension mode but let us be clear about this in law. The matter of suspension is within the jurisdiction of the British Government and not within the jurisdiction of this Parliament or our Executive. I make the point not to be difficult but to stress again that we have no power in respect of suspension which has been a hugely contentious matter between our Governments on the two occasions it has been suspended.