Ahern calls for further changes to North Police Bill

The Taoiseach has called for further changes to the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill on the Patten report.

Mr Ahern said the Government's position on the report had been clear from the beginning.

"We welcome the report and its recommendations and all our effort has been focused on ensuring the full and faithful implementation of the report. While I welcome the proposed changes to the Bill, signalled by the Secretary of State yesterday, there is still much work to be done.

"This has been pointed out strongly to me, particularly by the SDLP. Our objective must be to have a police service which is representative of both communities and accepted throughout Northern Ireland.

"This means that the new police service must be capable of attracting the support of both communities, including young nationalists and republicans. The SDLP and Sinn Fein have made it clear that further changes are required. We strongly support that view."

Mr Ahern, who was speaking at Question Time, said that he would discuss the matter later in the evening with the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, in London.

"Our discussion will be primarily on that issue. As on decommissioning, there is a strong level of feeling that this issue among political movements, church groups, educational and cultural groups. We must get a handle on it to ensure that we do not allow it to sour very positive developments. I will try to do that today."

Replying to the Labour leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, the Taoiseach said it was no harm for everybody to be reminded that the Patten commission was established because there was no possibility of achieving agreement during the negotiations on the Belfast Agreement.

"It was agreed that the British government would establish a commission and that its members would be discussed with the Government. We were lucky to get international and local senior figures, who were prepared to give their time and commitment to this. They did that through an enormously extensive process.

"Without exaggerating, many of those involved in the Patten commission feel their good work is being rowed back. It is very important we clear up the misunderstanding, whether factual or not. We should do it in a cool way, because for people to be involved in upping the ante one way or the other will not resolve the problem."

Mr Ahern said that he understood Mr Seamus Mallon's "strongly held views" on the issue. "In fairness to him, he has warned about this from day one. His life's work has been in this area and he believes that policing is fundamental to the success of the Good Friday agreement. We must get it right."