The political situation in Northern Ireland is, in the words of the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, a mess.
Elections to a Northern Ireland Assembly are being held in the absence of a commitment by the major parties to forming a power-sharing Executive or to ensuring the stability of the various institutions provided for by the Belfast Agreement. But, with goodwill and determination - and crucial support from the electorate - these political problems are capable of resolution.
Democracy can be an awkward bedfellow when governments seek to influence political outcomes. Last year, elections to the Assembly were postponed by the British government in order to protect the leadership of Mr David Trimble and to buy time in which an accommodation might be reached between the Ulster Unionist Party and Sinn Féin. The strategy almost worked. But the failure of the IRA to provide sufficient transparency in relation to the decommissioning of weapons and acts of completion caused last week's carefully choreographed events to implode. In the circumstances, a further postponement of elections would have seriously damaged democracy in Northern Ireland and undermined public confidence.
Five years ago, the terms of the Belfast Agreement were widely welcomed by both communities in Northern Ireland. A lack of trust, inter-party rivalries, continuing paramilitary activity and failures of nerve by party leaders all served to erode unionist confidence in the ability of the Agreement to deliver. In spite of such reservations, significant progress has been made. Society in Northern Ireland has changed for the better.
Campaigning in the elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly has begun. And details of the candidates and the policies of the various parties will be unveiled later this week. As a curtain-raiser, the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, and Mr Ahern have insisted the Belfast Agreement remains the template for political progress and that its fundamental values, principles and protections are not up for negotiation.
The governments appear to favour a continuation of recent policy: a post-election deal involving Sinn Féin that would give the Ulster Unionists the clarity on decommissioning and acts of completion they require to form an Executive. It is an uncertain venture, given the difficulties involved with the IRA, the volatility of the Northern electorate, and the determination of the Democratic Unionist Party to destroy the Agreement.
The need for greater inclusivity in future political negotiations has been demanded by the leader of the SDLP, Mr Mark Durkan, and by Ms Monica McWilliams of the Women's Coalition. The central strength and authority of the Belfast Agreement resides in the fact that it was painstakingly negotiated by the major parties from both communities, with the exception of the DUP. The governments should pay more attention to that aspect of politics and broaden their focus in the months ahead.