The suspension of the Northern Executive and other institutions was not inevitable, following the release of the de Chastelain report on arms decommissioning, the Taoiseach said.

"I think we should do everything we possibly can to avoid any of that," Mr Ahern said at Question Time in the Dail. He was replying to Mr Austin Currie (FG, Dublin West).

The Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, said putting beyond use the bombs and guns held by organisations associated with political parties serving in government was a fundamental requirement for the normal functioning of government and the sense of equalities among ministers. This was even more important because it was the only way to establish what the long-term intentions of the organisation were.

Mr Ahern said he would agree with Mr Bruton, notwithstanding other arguments made. He had never moved off the position in the Belfast Agreement that decommissioning would have to be dealt with by May 2000.

He had not liked what Mr Trimble had done at the Ulster Unionist Council, which he did, he believed, because he felt he had the political imperative to do it to carry his conference. "I have argued strongly for the full implementation of the agreement. And that means the decommissioning issue has to be dealt with."

He said the release of the de Chastelain report was one of the benchmarks in moving that on more, trying to get at least a clear indication of where they were going on the path to achieve decommissioning. "I am absolutely committed to trying to achieve that. But we have hit very difficult times. I have to be frank."