Appropriately in the presence of our Scottish visitors, will the Taoiseach join with me in recording a welcome for the progress made during the talks at St. Andrews in which I was a participant as a member of the Sinn Féin delegation? Does the Taoiseach agree there was a clear sense of willingness on the part of all parties to assist in moving the situation forward at the St. Andrews talks? Does he agree this momentum must be maintained?

What is the Taoiseach's response to the postponement by the DUP of today's scheduled talks between it and Sinn Féin? I understand that the engagement still had not taken place when we commenced Leaders' Questions. Does the Taoiseach concur that the agreement between the two Governments and any ongoing discussions must affirm the Good Friday Agreement and work towards its full implementation? Does he agree that the process is not about finding a way around, undermining or superseding the Good Friday Agreement?

Does the Taoiseach agree that the next assembly elections should take place at the end of the current term, namely that envisaged from the last assembly elections rather than a new set of elections occurring as mooted by some opinion? Is he also of the view that the St. Andrews document in no way supersedes or overrides the essential essence of the Good Friday Agreement as endorsed by the electorate North and South? Does he agree a referendum on the agreement at St. Andrews is not required in this State? Will the Taoiseach join with me in urging everyone of all opinion and none throughout Ireland to take the time to read the document presented by the two Governments to the final plenary session on Friday? People must inform themselves properly and reflect and engage in every positive way imaginable in order that the momentum towards the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement can be maintained.

This matter will be further debated in the House tomorrow. I thank our Scottish colleagues for the facilities they made available to us and particularly thank the Scottish First Minister, Mr. Jack McConnell, for his courtesy and the time he afforded us on our arrival on Wednesday last.

We had a successful meeting with the Northern Ireland parties and appreciate the valuable contributions that were made. A timetable is in place for the restoration of the institutions. We have ensured the deadline of 24 November remains real. The engagement was difficult and for a long time it seemed we would not get an outcome. However, we produced a document and it is hoped that, after studying it, all parties will come to agreement.

While there are many elements to the document, the essential ones involve commitments by the DUP to power sharing and by Sinn Féin to accept and support policing. Sinn Féin's position on policing will be decided through its own structures in the weeks ahead.

All parties left St. Andrews in a positive frame of mind. They were asked to say whether they would agree the package by 10 November, following consultation with their members. If agreed, the nomination of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister on 24 November would be on course. Dr. Paisley told us the DUP will say "yes" to this. While the First Minister and Deputy First Minister will not actually take up office on that date, symbolically it will be a landmark moment.

In advance of this, the parties will begin meeting at leadership level to discuss the programme for government. That issue was to be dealt with today. I do not believe we should get too excited about developments on this issue. Annex A of the St. Andrews document dealt with the issue that emerged today. Annex A states under amendments to the pledge of office:

The pledge of office would require that Ministers would participate fully in the Executive and NSMC/BIC, and would observe the joint nature of the office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister. Before the Government legislates on the pledge of office it will consider the outcome of further preparation for government committee discussions on policing and the rule of law.

It is clear that the issue that created some difficulties today was dealt with by the two Governments and was to be dealt with in the preparation for government committee discussions.

The fundamental principles of the Good Friday Agreement are consent for constitutional change, commitment to exclusively peaceful and democratic means, stable inclusive partnership government, respect for equality and human rights and a balanced institutional accommodation of the key relationships within Northern Ireland, between North and South and between these islands. These remain unchanged. The St. Andrews proposals, which arise from the review of the Good Friday Agreement, if accepted by the parties, will ensure they are fully reflected and implemented as intended by the Agreement for the first time since the suspension of power sharing four years ago.

The Good Friday Agreement was never intended to be static. It provided for a review of its operation by the Governments and parties four years after it came into operation. The review began in 2004 but given the events of December 2004, it could not be brought to a conclusion. We hope these proposals will now help to bring the process forward. I hope with the issues that created some difficulties today, and other issues, that people will look at the annex and agree them, as the Governments said they should, in the preparation for government committee.

In the wake of the St. Andrews meetings, will the Government revive the Taoiseach's proposal for limited representation for Northern MPs in a committee of the whole Dáil? Will the Government outline what further proposed peace dividend will come forward with a particular focus on the Border Counties and the Six Counties? Will it outline the infrastructural developments and other co-operative initiatives on a North-South basis that it will co-host and co-fund to give real substance to the all-Ireland dimension of the Agreement?

Will the Offences Against the State Acts be revisited in line with the Agreement's commitment to set aside all anti-human rights legislation? Will the Taoiseach enhance the role of the Human Rights Commission in the Twenty-six Counties so that the equality and human rights agenda can be advanced on an all-Ireland basis, given the deficits that apply to the two respective bodies North and South?

In response to my earlier letters to party leaders and based on the 2001 all-party committee report, there seems to be a basis to allow representation for Northern MPs in some form. It must be done with co-operation of Members but, for my part, I will bring it forward. We have already engaged with the British Government at ministerial and official levels regarding the peace dividend. There is a large agenda of items on the North-South Ministerial Council covering health, education, science and food. The human rights legislation is in place and we have set up the associated structures. We will continue to work on those in co-operation with the authorities in the North. The answer to the Deputy's questions, therefore, is "Yes". The Government, as we outlined last week and in all previous discussions, is prepared to move these matters forward as fully as we possibly can.