Taoiseach warns on dangers facing the peace process

A vacuum should not be allowed to develop in the Northern Ireland peace process because it would be "extremely dangerous" the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has told the Dail.

"We have a limited window within which to resolve the outstanding issues," he said, because the institutions were "totally unstable". The process was now at an extremely difficult and sensitive stage, Mr Ahern added.

He accepted IRA weapons were beyond use "because they have been inspected and are being re-inspected and there is no indication that will not continue.

"All of those things are positive but the reality is that we have to move to a position that complies with the implementation of the legislation."

They had set down achievements they wanted to reach "that the arms will be put beyond use in a verifiable way. How this is done is not an issue for us in this House, we will support it even if it is not strictly according to the legislation, if other innovative ways are found."

Decommissioning was an issue for all paramilitary groups "but there is a particular focus on the Sinn Fein negotiating position and the IRA's position".

Speaking during Taoiseach's questions, Mr Ahern said "in the real world of negotiations, my leverage on that issue will be effective only if the British government gets a response. Whether we like it or not, that is the reality and it will not change."

Mr Caoimhghin O Caolain (SF) said there was "deep anger, not only among republicans, but among a growing number of nationalists, not only in the six counties but throughout the whole island, that at a time when peace is being violated daily by armed loyalists, almost the entire party political and media focus - certainly the focus of the Labour Party - is on the silent and inspected weapons of the IRA".

The Fine Gael leader, Mr Michael Noonan, asked if he envisaged an Assembly election in the autumn, once the six weeks without a First Minister had passed.

Mr Ahern said last time the British Government suspended the institutions but "it is different this time". Everything "hinges on whether there is substantial progress".

The Labour leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn put it that the "onus now falls on Sinn Fein and its associated paramilitary wing, the Provisional IRA, to move decisively to break the impasse", not under deadlines and conditions imposed by one political body or another "but at the behest of all who voted for the Good Friday Agreement".