Bill on decommissioning at advanced stage, says Bruton

LEGISLATION on arms decommissioning was at an advanced stage, the Taoiseach said.

"However, the actual date of enactment is not something that is decided at this stage," Mr Bruton added. He said he would, be prepared to provide a detailed briefing to the unionist representatives, and other parties, on all the legal considerations involved so they would be assured that the Government was dealing with the matter seriously.

Asked by the Fianna Fail spokesman on foreign affairs, Mr Ray Burke, if the legislation would be introduced and debated in the House by the start of all party talks on June 10th, the Taoiseach said it would be necessary to have clarity before then on how decommissioning related matters would be dealt with.

Both sides in the North agreed that they did not want decommissioning to prevent other issues being dealt with. As to whether it would be introduced in the House or the extent to which that would be useful, was a matter currently being discussed.

Replying to the PD leader Ms Mary Harney, he said the Government was having discussions with the British government on ensuring that as much clarity as possible existed on the issues in both jurisdictions.

He said he had told a unionist delegation that there would be no block to the all party negotiations arising from any absence of legislation in the Republic. Since then, officials in the Department of Justice and in the office of the Attorney General had been working almost full time on its preparation.

Mr Bruton said for the decommissioning of weapons to take place certain changes would need to be made in both jurisdictions to provide for forensic tests, the possible use of weapons as evidence in prosecutions and the issue of the legal liabilities of people who engaged in decommissioning.

"The issues concerned are quite complex, particularly in regard to people who might wish, for example, evidence based on particular weapons to be used in their defence. Obviously there is a very fine balance to be drawn here so as to ensure that the rights of citizens to defend themselves from accusations is also vindicated in any legislation."

In the case of the Republic, there was a written Constitution, which meant that any matters of that nature could not be dealt with by way of regulation.

The Taoiseach refused to be drawn in any detail on Mr Fergus Finlay's comment that all party talks without Sinn Fein would not be worth "a penny candle". He said the matter had been dealt with extensively in the House last week by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ms Joan Burton.

No party had a veto over the talks process, and he had made this clear on many occasions. "Having said that, it is important that we do everything possible to get all of the parties there.

"There is no question that talks with all of the parties would be much more valuable than talks with only some of them. That stands to reason, but equally we do not wish to see a situation where people can veto progress by others simply by not turning up."

The Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, referred to recent remarks by the Northern Ireland Minister, Mr Michael Ancram, and asked Mr Bruton if willingness to accept the Mitchell principles was a precondition for entry into talks.

The Taoiseach said the communique agreed on February 28th between Mr John Major and himself was absolutely clear on that point. "There are no preconditions for participation in these discussions other than, in the case of Sinn Fein the reinstatement of the cessation of violence."