It is very important that we remind ourselves that a basis for talks was agreed last March after many months of painstaking preparations and this was a very finely balanced package which took into account the sensitivities of all the participants. Most people would accept that it would be a very great pity now to throw away the results of all that earlier work. I have no doubt that there would be overwhelming public support, North and South, for an immediate resumption of the talks on that basis.
For the present at least, I feel that our continuing emphasis must be on exploring fully and patiently the possibilities of building up what has been achieved and of bringing people back to the negotiating table on the basis agreed earlier. That would be the most direct and commonsense way to resume the political dialogue which is so urgently required.
Finally, let me say, in reply to other elements of the Deputy's supplementary questions that of course all matters pertaining to security are discussed at meetings of the Anglo-Irish Conference in very great detail, but the Deputy knows full well that there is never public debate on these matters afterwards.