‘Road map’ for North Assembly

DEVOLVED Government in Northern Ireland could be back up and running again by the autumn, the Taoiseach said yesterday.

The suspended Assembly and Executive could be working again by October, Mr Ahern said following talks with Tony Blair at Government Buildings yesterday.

Contacts are ongoing with the North’s political parties and Mr Ahern said both Governments are determined to achieve a basis for restoring devolved Government as soon as possible.

“I believe we have a road map and I believe we can achieve it and hopefully, we will be able to get finality in the autumn,” Mr Ahern said.

“It is our assured sense that an outcome can be achieved that will allow restoration of these arrangements,” he added.

According to the British Prime Minister, devolved Government could not be achieved by the Governments alone.

“We can only do so much. We need a real willingness from the parties to put themselves on the line and step up to the mark,” he added.

“I hope that, before the summer, we will be able to begin doing intensive negotiations,” Mr Blair said.

In an effort to launch a fresh attempt to restore the political process in Northern Ireland, the two leaders issued a joint statement on the way ahead, saying is was vital to maintain the momentum.

Vowing to intensify efforts to kickstart the process before the summer marching season, Mr Ahern said he honestly believed the plan could work within the timeframe.

“If we are not in that position by autumn it would be a very serious position,” he said.

Yet Mr Blair acknowledged that the problem was more complicated than persuading paramilitaries to give up their arms.

“It is about more than simply decommissioning. It is about whether people can be sure there is a genuine cessation of all types of violence. It is not about decommissioning a certain amount of weaponry. It is more profound than that,” he said.

Once these criteria were met, Mr Blair said devolved government could not be allowed to fail again.

“Everybody recognises that the next time we get this situation of institutions up and running that has to be it. People do not want another six months then it collapses again,” he said.

The statement said the issues to be addressed are clear and it is long past time to deal with them once and for all.

“We have no doubt that, with sufficient will, leadership and courage from all concerned, not just paramilitary activity but the whole culture of paramilitarism and associated criminality can be brought to an end; trust and confidence can be restored; and an accommodation between unionists and nationalists can be sustained,” the statement said.