Bairbre de Brún (GUE/NGL). – (The speaker spoke Irish)

The Irish peace process is at a critical juncture. The Irish and British Governments have set 24 November 2006 as the date for agreement to be reached among the political parties. However, Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionist Party has shown no interest in power-sharing or in progress and it has been allowed by the two governments to prevent progress being made.

The Irish and British Governments must act to bring about the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, which is an international treaty. I urge the Finnish Presidency to encourage everyone concerned to make progress and would ask Parliament and the President to join in this call. Without such progress, the peace process is in danger of unravelling further.