Oireachtas

Ahern hopeful that Mitchell can succeed

The Taoiseach was cautious when asked about the level of progress being made in the Northern talks.

Wed Nov 03 1999 - 00:00

The Taoiseach was cautious when asked about the level of progress being made in the Northern talks.

Mr Ahern said it was not a question of being over-optimistic or over-pessimistic. "I am heartened by the fact that Senator Mitchell, who was to leave in mid-October, is now staying and will, I think, stay until he completes his work in the next few weeks."

The Taoiseach said he did not want to pre-determine what would happen. "I am hopeful that Senator Mitchell, with the help of the three governments, can bring this across the line. I do not know if that is possible or not yet. I think there are still a few weeks at least in that process."

Mr Ahern said it had been an intensive and exhaustive weekend for the parties involved and those close to it. "There are still very difficult issues. I think the next few days will allow dialogue to continue."

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The Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, said it was necessary to keep a sense of proportion in the sense that a huge amount had already been achieved.

"The simple passage of time, in many respects, is assisting the process of healing in any event, and we should not set ourselves deadlines, however enthusiastic we may be to achieve them, which create artificial disappointment when they are not achieved."

Mr Ahern said that was a fair way of putting it.

"It is 14 months today since we were engaged in trying to get the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party and the leader of Sinn Fein to have their first meeting, which was seen at the time as being an extraordinary achievement."

Mr Caoimhghin O Caolain (SF, Cavan-Monaghan) asked the Taoiseach to raise with the British Prime Minister and the Northern Secretary the "disgraceful decision" of the Director of Public Prosecutions in the North not to prosecute in the case of the four men implicated in the murder of Seamus Ludlow.

Mr O Caolain said a private inquiry into the case should be published in the absence of any prosecutions.

Mr Ahern said the Government was examining the matter and it would raise it with the British government again.