During the past six months, the two Governments and the parties made enormous progress in our effort to reach a solution. Throughout this period, the two Governments worked in partnership, and with the parties, to try and drive the process forward and to ensure finality and clarity in our work. However, on Thursday last, we had to acknowledge that this phase of our efforts could not be brought to a conclusion at this time. Prime Minister Blair subsequently announced that he had made a decision to postpone the Northern Ireland Assembly elections that had been rescheduled for 29 May. The Taoiseach has stated clearly that the Government disagrees with the British Government on the postponement of these elections. He reiterated this view, which I know is shared by the vast majority of Members of the House, on this matter on several occasions directly to the British Prime Minister. Yet another postponement of the elections causes more problems for the process than it solves.