THE Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, has outlined a four point plan to break the current impasse in the peace process. He told party supporters there should be "a stairway of consensus" so all sides in the Northern conflict could "climb to a level of agreement" where everyone's traditions and allegiances would be protected.
Speaking at his party's annual Wolfe Tone commemoration at Bodenstown, Co Kildare, Mr Ahern listed the steps needed to restore peace: 1) Reinstatement of the IRA ceasefire of August 1994; 2) Decommissioning should be discussed by participants in the talks but should not be a precondition for entry; 3) The British government should "set out clearly" its approach on prisoners in the event of a sustained ceasefire, "in line with previous undertakings to be generous"; 4) The two governments should establish the period or time scale of the talks.
"The IRA should reinstate its unqualified August 1994 ceasefire on the same terms as before, but which cannot be broken for any reason again, or at least indicate their willingness to do so."
It was "morally indefensible" for the IRA to return to "the wicked ways of violence". Each bomb attack put at risk the peace of Northern Ireland, which had more or less" survived intact for two years, and the bombing at Lisburn had been "a wanton act of stupidity".
"Punishment beatings, that maim and often disfigure people for life, are acts of cruelty and barbarism which no one could possibly condone. They are a travesty of human rights, the protection of which we must all fully support in word and deed."
Calling for an end to "antisocial and anti democratic practices", Mr Ahern urged the IRA to restore their "brave ceasefire" of August 1994. "Political battles should be fought politically."
Fianna Fail's mission was "to make peace, facilitate the peacemakers and act in a constructive and conciliatory spirit". It would be "totally wrong" to put off government action until after the forthcoming general elections.
"Unionist demands on decommissioning clearly go way beyond the Mitchell Report, where voluntary confidence building measures are suggested in the course of talks." He could detect no genuine sign of a unionist wish to reach a compromise "even with moderate nationalists".
If the talks failed, the governments should engage in "a comprehensive programme of reform" under the Anglo Irish Agreement.
Mr Ahern said the Irish Government "must exhibit more confidence, and exercise its sovereign powers more vigorously, if it is to have a decisive influence on the peace process".
He accused the Taoiseach of making a "misleading claim" in Washington when Mr Bruton said: "We have no interest of our own, other than that of obtaining an agreement which is reasonable and fair to the aspirations of both communities in Northern Ireland." Mr Ahern said this "sweeping statement" did not correspond with reality and was therefore unlikely to be taken on trust by unionists.
"We in our jurisdiction have an entirely legitimate interest of our own, not just in peace and stability in Northern Ireland, but in closer co operation between the two parts of the island for our mutual benefit, and in Ireland's eventual reunification in peace and agreement", Mr Ahern said.