By Andrew Bushe
DUBLIN — The confidence-building measure of the historic opening of IRA arms dumps for inspection and monitoring by international inspectors should take place "as soon as possible," Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said after the UUP voted last weekend to reenter government in the North.
In its May 6 statement, the IRA said the contents of "a number of arms dumps" could be inspected and the findings reported to the International Independent Commission on Decommissioning headed by Gen. John de Chastelain.
The agreed inspectors, former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari and Cyril Rhamaphosa, the ex-secretary general of the African National Congress, visited Belfast in May and Ahern said they "went through the technical nature" of their task.
"It would be a pity if there was a hangover and there was anxiety about what day it is going to happen," Ahern said. "Equally so, I don’t think we should be getting up every morning for the next few weeks saying, ‘Is it today?’ "
As the focus switches to the arms issue again, the IRA interlocutor is expected to resume negotiations with de Chastelain and make arrangements to open up the arms bunkers for the first time ever to outsiders.
Never miss an issue of The Irish Echo
Subscribe to one of our great value packages.
Previously, anyone who disclosed details about arms dumps to an outsider would have faced an IRA court martial and possibly death.
Details about the whole inspection process will take work remains vague. Ahern said he was confident the inspections would go ahead.
"This is a done deal. It was a commitment to the two governments," he said.
In the meantime, gardai have said that if they discover any IRA weapons the contents would immediately be seized.