Speakers critical of accord delay

Republicans are "sick of waiting" for the Belfast Agreement to be implemented, Mr Martin McGuinness told the ard-fheis

Republicans are "sick of waiting" for the Belfast Agreement to be implemented, Mr Martin McGuinness told the ard-fheis. He demanded that Mr Tony Blair impose his authority in order to see the formation of an executive.

During the debate on the release of prisoners and the Belfast Agreement an Assembly member, Mr Francie Molloy, warned that the North would be made "ungovernable" by republicans if an effort were made to exclude Sinn Fein from the political process.

Mr Molloy said Sinn Fein would try to make the agreement succeed but republicans should not be taken for granted.

Despite the impasse over IRA weapons and the formation of an executive Mr McGuinness, in his address, expressed confidence that a solution could be found within the terms of the Belfast Agreement.

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Mr McGuinness, described as "Sinn Fein minister-designate", said he and the second Sinn Fein ministerial nominee, Ms Bairbre de Brun, wanted to work with unionists in the new institutions.

But he repeated that Sinn Fein could not bring about IRA decommissioning. "The demand that Sinn Fein deliver IRA weapons before we can take our rightful place in the executive and all-Ireland ministerial council is now being seen for what it is, undeliverable and undemocratic."

He said despite all the obstacles and difficulties Sinn Fein was in no way dispirited or despondent. "We have confidence in our ability and the determination of our people to endure in the quest for peace, justice, equality and freedom."

Mr Martin Ferris, an ard-chomhairle member and former IRA prisoner, said the delay in implementing the agreement was "intolerable and totally unacceptable". He added: "The unionists and British securocrats have been running society in the six counties since Partition in 1921. They are masters when it comes to doing nothing and ensuring that nothing is done to weaken their hold on political power.

"If they are not challenged, if the two governments do not pursue a strategy based on removing injustice then the Good Friday agreement is not worth the paper it is written on."

Mr Gerry McGeough from Tyrone said republicans should not be taken for granted and would not be walked over. He said there must be no decommissioning. "We are prepared to bite the bullet, but not to give it away."

Mr Daithi Dillon from Dublin said republicans had got nothing from the Belfast Agreement. It must be realised that republicans did not have "a bottomless well of patience".

Mr Caoimhghin O Caolain, TD for Cavan-Monaghan, said the Hillsborough Declaration was ill-conceived and ill-judged and "no Dublin government leader should have put his name to it". He said the Taoiseach's role was to ensure that the institutions of the agreement were set in place.

The Sinn Fein vice-president, Mr Pat Doherty, said all prisoners, by implication including those convicted of murdering Garda Jerry McCabe, must be released.

"Both governments need to reflect on what we all agreed on, particularly the political concept that this conflict cannot be finally resolved without all political prisoners being released, not some of them released, not most of them being released, but all of them being released," he added.

Mr Paddy Kelly, on behalf of republican prisoners in Portlaoise, said the prisoners were united behind the republican leadership.

Gerry Moriarty

Gerry Moriarty

Gerry Moriarty is the former Northern editor of The Irish Times