Against a background of imminent developments in Northern Ireland, Irish and British parliamentarians called on all parties to redouble their efforts to get an agreement.
A motion wishing the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, a "full recovery" to health was unanimously passed at yesterday's meeting of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body, held at Ware, outside London.
The body, consisting of representatives from Leinster House and Westminster, as well as the assemblies or parliaments in Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, declared it was "very sorry" to hear of Mr Blair's ill-health.
The motion, proposed by the body's steering committee, also recognised his "immense contribution" to the Northern Ireland peace process as well as improved relations between Britain and Ireland.
The Political Development Minister at the Northern Ireland Office, Mr John Spellar, said negotiations in the peace process were "at a delicate stage".
He was substituting for the Northern Ireland Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, who was engaged in the talks.
"We are optimistic," Mr Spellar said, but added that this was "not to say a deal has been done, because it hasn't." He hoped there would be elections "soon" in Northern Ireland, leading to a functioning Assembly and Executive.
The body unanimously approved a steering committee motion that expressed continuing support for the Belfast Agreement as "the only way forward for the people of Northern Ireland" and called on "all parties involved to redouble their efforts to achieve the restoration of the devolved institutions".
Lord Glentoran, Conservative spokesman on Northern Ireland in the House of Lords, proposed an amendment calling on "Sinn Féin-IRA to deliver that which Prime Minister Blair stated was necessary before a new executive could be formed" but he later withdrew it.
The Conservative MP Mr Michael Mates said it had been the right decision to postpone the Northern Ireland elections. He recalled the disastrous effect of the 1974 Westminster general election on the power-sharing executive formed after the Sunningdale Agreement.
He called on the republican movement to stage "a verifiable major event" to show that it was putting arms permanently beyond use.
Senator Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fáil) was one of several members who were critical of the fact that the SDLP was not a participant in recent discussions at Downing Street. This had sent a "subliminal message" to the electorate, he said.
Lord Temple-Morris (Conservative) said: "If David Trimble goes, I firmly believe that the game is over." He added that if Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness could not bring republicans with them, there was "a serious danger that those two will fall off their perch".