asked the Taoiseach if, in view of reported statements by Unionist leaders that the Anglo-Irish Agreement is an impediment to talks, he has considered or will consider suspending the agreement without abrogating it in order to try and get such talks under way.

7.

asked the Taoiseach if he has any plans for a meeting with the British Prime Minister prior to the planned review of the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

8.

asked the Taoiseach the exchanges of views he has had with representatives of political parties in Northern Ireland regarding possible political initiatives there; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

9.

asked the Taoiseach his views on the statement, made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, that the next step in an attempt to reach a political solution to the problems of Northern Ireland is a matter for the Unionist politicians and not for the British and Irish Governments.

10.

asked the Taoiseach if he intends to meet the UK Prime Minister in order to put proposals to her in the context of the review of the workings of the Anglo-Irish Inter-Governmental Conference.

11.

asked the Taoiseach if he has sought a bilateral meeting with the British Prime Minister regarding matters of mutual concern.

12.

asked the Taoiseach if he proposes to meet the British Prime Minister to review the workings of the Anglo-Irish Agreement before the third anniversary of the agreement on 15 November 1988.

13.

asked the Taoiseach if he anticipates an early summit meeting with the British Prime Minister; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 13 inclusive together.

I have said many times that I am willing to enter into talks with Unionist leaders, without preconditions, about how we might establish the basis for lasting peace and stability on this island. My position on this remains unchanged and the statement of the Minister for Foreign Affairs in San Francisco is in line with Government policy in this area.

As I said in the House on 3 May last, we have to advert to the fact that representatives of the Unionist tradition are not prepared to accept the Anglo-Irish Agreement, at this stage at any rate. Therefore, any dialogue with them will have to be outside the processes of the Agreement to which, of course, both Governments are committed. The Government had talks with representatives of the SDLP on 9 September. We both reiterated our hope for a direct exchange of views with leaders of the Unionist community, without any preconditions and with full respect for the convictions of all the parties involved.

Plans for any meeting I might have with the British Prime Minister would, in accordance with normal practice, be announced simultaneously in Dublin and London close to the time of the meeting.

I will call the Deputies in the order in which their names appear on the questions concerned.

In view of the statement by the Tánaiste that he is prepared to have talks outside the Anglo-Irish Agreement, in view also of his anxiety to have these talks and of the fact that the Anglo-Irish Agreement has been presented by the Unionists with whom he wishes to have talks as an impediment to having talks, surely it makes commonsense that the impediment would be temporarily removed without necessarily being abrogated? The objective of the agreement was to procure reconciliation but if it is now being presented by those with whom we wish to be reconciled as an impediment, surely that impediment should be removed by an act of generosity on this side, albeit on a temporary basis to get the talks under way.

I take it that Deputy Cooney in advancing that view is not advancing the view of the Fine Gael Party. That view as expressed by Deputy Dukes is entirely different. Having said that and put it on record, I would like to emphasise that the best way forward in what we all know is a very complex situation is, first of all, to maintain the agreement and the conference. That has been fully discussed with the SDLP who support us in that, and the British and Irish Governments are both determined to maintain that position. That does not preclude or prejudice in any way the development of talks with Unionist representatives. That can continue on a parallel basis through a process while maintaining the conference, the secretariat and the Anglo-Irish process generally. That is our considered position. The Deputy is aware that the position in this area has to be considered in a very mature way at present as the three-yearly review provided for in the Agreement is starting.

A brief supplementary, Deputy Cooney. There are seven Deputies involved in the subject matter of these questions.

Does the Tánaiste agree that Unionist leaders with whom he wishes to have talks have been reported as stating that the Anglo-Irish Agreement is an impediment to those talks?

That has been said in some instances. I hope that everybody concerned will get on to the path of dialogue and that we can have such dialogue between all the interested parties side by side with the maintenance of the conference, the secretariat and the process that was started under the agreement.

Would the Tánaiste accept that the Unionist parties in Northern Ireland have considerably softened their attitude to the Anglo-Irish Agreement and that what they are asking for now is not that the agreement be set aside but that the workings of the agreement be set aside for a period in order to allow talks to get under way? Would he not consider that it would be in the best interests of reconciliation, stability, democracy and indeed life in Northern Ireland that the Irish Government would seriously consider their request for the suspension of the workings of the agreement to allow talks to get under way and that——

I appeal for brevity so that we may deal with all the questions involved.

I wish to add one further point. Would the Tánaiste not agree that the urgent need is for talks to get under way and that it would be important to give this concession to——

The supplementaries are too long.

Certainly I agree on the urgency and the necessity for bringing the Unionist leaders and representatives into dialogue about the future on this island. There is no question about that. I see no conflict or contradiction between that process and the maintenance of the conference and process under the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

You do not, but they do.

I would ask Deputy Cooney — I am candidly surprised at him — to maintain a certain discretion in this area because we are at a very crucial period in our history in which, I hope, we will come to some conjuncture in all of this. Naturally there is concern among everybody in the House on the matter.

I am glad the Tánaiste is finally concerned.

Deputy, the interruptions should cease.

That sort of language does not help.

That is hypocrisy.

Deputy Barrett ought not to provoke matters. He must desist from interrupting.

He was preaching about hypocrisy a few minutes ago.

If you do not desist, you know the consequences.

Deputy Barrett, for your information, and I am very glad about this, there is a growing consensus among all of us in this House and among our people on this matter.

If you had supported the Government at the time we would be well on the road to peace today.

There is no need for disorder.

This sort of thing is not helpful, to put it mildly.

It was not helpful to the last Government——

Deputy De Rossa, it must be a brief question.

Would the Tánaiste accept that the British Government——

If he had supported the last Government we would be well on the road to peace today.

Order. Deputy Barrett seems to be intent on disorder here today. Deputy De Rossa.

Would the Tánaiste accept that the British Government have publicly stated that while they will not allow the agreement itself to be set aside, they will be sensitive to the requirements of the Unionist parties in order to get talks under way and that this clearly implies their willingness——

I am sorry, I am calling another Deputy.

I beg your pardon.

I asked the Deputy to be brief and he proceeds to make another speech. I am now calling Deputy Peter Barry.

The Tánaiste is entitled to answer the question that I am putting to him.

Deputy Barry is not present.

No, I intend to act in loco parentis for Deputy Barry who is unavoidably engaged on other business.

Deputy Dukes has his own question, No. 10.