Taoiseach ready to end claim by Dublin over North

The Government is prepared to enshrine in the Constitution the right of a majority of the people of Northern Ireland to determine their future, the Taoiseach has said. However, it would not explicitly recognise British sovereignty over Northern Ireland.

The proposed revisions would remove any absolute claim by the Republic to sovereignty over Northern Ireland but would not recognise explicitly British sovereignty, Mr Ahern said yesterday.

In an interview in today's Financial Times, he indicated the Constitution was not the appropriate place to say what the United Kingdom consisted of. "That is not the function of our Constitution," he added.

In an assessment of the outlines of a future settlement of the Northern problem, Mr Ahern also said he would be happy to see Mr David Trimble, the Ulster Unionist leader, become head of a Northern Ireland administration.

He suggested that the target date of next May for completing the all-party talks was not unrealistic, adding that phenomenal progress towards a deal satisfactory to unionists and nationalists had been made in recent months.

However asked yesterday if it could be assumed Sinn Fein members would sit in any new Northern Ireland parliament or assembly emerging as part of a political settlement, its leader, Mr Gerry Adams, said: "Well, I don't think we should assume anything . . . what is clear from Sinn Fein's point of view is that an internal settlement is not a solution."

The Taoiseach envisaged that the proposed revisions to the Constitution would be part of a single question to be put to voters to ratify a new settlement. This would take place simultaneously with a referendum in the North.

A new cross-Border authority would be likely to have jurisdiction over areas such as agriculture, fisheries, arts, transport, energy, medical research, other health issues and education standards, he said.

Meanwhile, The Irish Times has confirmed that some changes are evolving in the Government's negotiating position on a future settlement as the Taoiseach prepares to attend the Stormont talks in Belfast for the first time next week.

The Framework Document, published in Belfast in February, 1995, is still "base camp" for the Irish position, as one source put it, but changing circumstances over almost three years are forcing the Government to review and flesh out in detail, some proposals.

The new components of the framework for a settlement, which are now emerging, centre on the Ulster Unionists' wish to strengthen the east-west structure and on a review of Fianna Fail's wording for changes to Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution.

The Government is considering the idea of setting up a council of the islands to represent the Republic and the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in a broadening of the east-west strand of the talks. This structure could examine economic and European matters.

It is understood that the Taoiseach has also indicated a willingness to review the proposed amendment to Articles 2 and 3, published by Fianna Fail following the publication of the Framework Document.

To avoid piecemeal acceptance or rejection of any settlement, the Government intends to put the whole agreement before the people in one referendum.

The Government believes that, by putting one single question, it can change Articles 2 and 3, protect the agreement from constitutional challenge and devolve decision-making powers to a new Northern Ireland assembly.

It is still seeking a change in the absolute sovereignty of Britain over Northern Ireland in Section 75 of the Government of Ireland Act by arguing the necessity to translate the Anglo-Irish agreements of the last 12 years into constitutional law.

Government sources are also examining institutional models which could be applied to the expanded east-west relationship. As an alternative to a council of the islands, the name of IONA, Islands of the North Atlantic, has emerged in discussions.

The idea of having diplomatic representation in Cardiff and Edinburgh has also surfaced in the context of the proposed devolved parliaments in Wales and Scotland.