While there is much work to be done if we are to meet the May 1998 deadline for agreement in the multi-party negotiations, there has been very substantial progress since the negotiations resumed in September. The participants have set out their views on all items of the comprehensive agenda, across the three strands.
What is now required is a tighter focus on the core substance of the negotiations and I am encouraged by the recognition of this among all the participants. In particular, the review plenary agreed last week to establish a restricted subgroup to identify key issues and determine the best way to structure consideration of those issues. I am hopeful that agreement on these matters will be reached at the review plenary on its resumption next week. This will enable us to move into a still more intensive phase directly after Christmas and make it possible to proceed from analysis into direct negotiation on the broad lines of an agreement.
I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the continuing excellent work of Senator Mitchell and his colleagues. Their judgment and skill as chairmen are proving to be invaluable.
The Government also has valuable ongoing bilateral contacts with all of the parties involved in the negotiations. Most recently, the Taoiseach had useful and constructive meetings during his visit to the talks on Monday. We will be maintaining the closest contact with all the participants.
We are very much focused on the May deadline and there is no reason it should not be met. Indeed, I believe that participants would prefer to move even more speedily, if that were possible. Of course, if some additional time were required to complete negotiations which were going well, I am sure there would be general agreement to this, but I hope and expect that will not be necessary.