The Tanaiste has led a delegation from the Progressive Democrats to meet the Sinn Fein leadership in the first such face-to-face discussions between the two parties. Following the meeting at the Progressive Democrats offices in Dublin yesterday, Ms Harney said it was time to have such discussions on the peace process with Sinn Fein and described the encounter as very useful.
She was accompanied in the hour-long talks by Ministers of State, Ms Liz O'Donnell - who is participating in the Stormont talks - and Mr Bobby Molloy. Asked afterwards how she had got on with Sinn Fein, since she does not support the party, she replied, "and they do not support us". It was, however, "time to move on". The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, said his party would have preferred if agreement had been reached on the key issues before the talks broke up earlier this week for Christmas. One would have been "in far better form . . . and it is a bit dampening", but his party remained "very positive".
Saying he "commended" the Irish Government for the work it had done "in recent times", particularly in relation to prisoners, Mr Adams said it had to be the engine to keep the dynamic going. The British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, would only be focused if the Irish Government is "relentless" in its pursuit of the peace process.
Following their talks with the Progressive Democrats, Mr Adams and the Sinn Fein vice-president, Mr Pat Doherty, met Government officials to assess the state of the peace process.