Major responsibility on DUP, warns Ahern

All political parties must play their part in the Northern peace process and rise to the challenges ahead, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern told the Dáil as he warned that "there is a major responsibility on the Democratic Unionist Party".

Mr Ahern said that "nobody is entitled to sit on their hands".

He added that "it may not be easy for some of them, but all the parties must face this responsibility".

During question time, Mr Ahern warned the Dáil that the two governments would move to Plan B immediately after the March 26th deadline "if there is no intention to set up the executive".

There was "no reason for any further delay" in creating shared accountable government committed to serving all the people of the North, Mr Ahern said.

The Assembly election on March 7th was an integral part of the process agreed at St Andrew's, and being held "for the explicit purpose of endorsing the St Andrew's Agreement and of electing an Assembly that would form a powersharing executive on March 26th". Mr Ahern confirmed that on the advice of the Attorney General, "no referendum is required in this jurisdiction on the St Andrew's Agreement as the changes effected by this agreement do not constitute fundamental changes to the Good Friday agreement".

He welcomed the "landmark step" following Sinn Féin's ardfheis on supporting policing and the "important follow-up comments" by the party's leadership.

"The IMC report also provides further clear evidence and assurance that the IRA's campaign is over for good."

The Taoiseach added that he would proceed with a proposal to establish a joint Oireachtas committee on the implementation of the Belfast Agreement on North-South co-operation. "It's an important national issue and fully merits the dedication of a committee."

Pat Rabbitte asked what was the basis of the assurance from British prime minister Tony Blair "that the DUP is prepared to commit to powersharing after the elections on March 7th" as DUP MP Willie McCrea seemed to say the opposite. Mr Ahern said he would not comment on "individual voices from the DUP. I am much more interested in where the party stands". Mr Blair was "convinced that after the elections the DUP will move to form an executive".

Asked about the British response to the collusion report, Mr Ahern said he had pointed out to Mr Blair that the RUC had failed in its duty to prevent many horrific crimes and that "some of these issues happened under his own watch and up until recent periods".

He told Sinn Féin's CaoimhghíÓ Caoláin: "Will we get the British government to deal with it and to admit it in the same manner as these reports? I doubt it. Will it hold a tribunal to examine these matters individually and to go back over hundreds of cases? I doubt it."

Asked about Sinn Féin coming forward with information about the murder of Robert McCartney, he replied that the party had said that anyone with evidence of information should go to the police.