Ahern: We don't want to use plan B
The British and Irish governments would prefer to see Northern politicians taking over the running of the government of the North in advance of the new November 24 deadline, Bertie Ahern insisted today.
As he launched in Armagh along with British Prime Minister Tony Blair their roadmap for securing devolved government, the Taoiseach stressed both leaders would be loath to have to revert to a plan B for running the North if it proves impossible to form a power-sharing executive by November.
“I don’t look at the end date of this,” Mr Ahern said.
“In fact, I look at this as a start of a process. I do not want on November 24 to be thinking about another plan.
“I would love it to happen very quickly before that date but, whenever, I hope we will see the restoration of accountable institutions in Northern Ireland with politicians back in the lead position.
“Of course, because we are the custodians of the (Good Friday) Agreement and have the responsibility to bring that forward, if that doesn’t work we have to take responsibility.
“It’s not something that I really want to have to do because if the two governments were doing that and the politicians, as they are now, are only marginally involved in the politics of Northern Ireland, then they would still be in that position.
“I am an elected politician, so to marginalise the whole political system is the last thing I would want.
“I would not see it as much of a victory for anyone.”
Mr Ahern said Northern politicians were being given an opportunity to take power back into their own hands.
The Assembly will be recalled on May 15, with its first task being the election of First and Deputy First Ministers and an executive within six weeks.
The arguments for forming a partnership government were, he said, compelling.
But with an absolute deadline of November 24 being given to Assembly members to reach a deal on the formation of an executive, Mr Ahern said the province’s 108 MLAs were being given a reasonable but finite time to complete the task.
“I have given some of the best years of my political life to this process,” he said.
“It is an investment that I would happily make over and over again in the interests of peace and agreement on this island.
“The challenge now is to finish the job. We believe that this is possible and that is why we are here today.”
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