THE opportunity for peace is still there, the Taoiseach said last night, but only the republican movement as a whole could grasp the opportunity.
"Nobody else can grasp it for them. Nobody, other than themselves, is denying it to them," he stated.
Mr Bruton set out the "significant positive reaction" to the IRA ceasefire in the political, economic and security fields in a major speech in Maynooth to coincide with the first anniversary of its breakdown this weekend.
He said that such a restatement was unfortunately necessary because the mantralike repetition of phrases about "no movement", "paralysis", and "lack of political will" was designed by republican representatives to prevent the public recalling what has been done to facilitate republicans entry into talks.
"I have to take issue with calls from Sinn Fein that what they choose to call a credible peace process and a meaningful talks process must be put in place. How much more credibility could there be? What is Sinn Fein's definition of credible? What is their definition of meaningful?" the Taoiseach asked.
It was clear, he continued, that it was the republican movement - and it alone - which had the credibility problem. It needed to convince others that it was committed to exclusively peaceful and democratic means. In effect, was it committed to democracy for the long haul or violence for the long haul? That was the credibility issue that needed to be settled.
Within that frame of reference, Mr Bruton said, the official line of communication to Sinn Fein remained open.
"It can be activated at very short notice once the Government receives reliable assurances from that party that an IRA ceasefire is actually within sight, and that identified and attainable things need to be discussed and done that will achieve that end," he explained.
He added that such an assurance would set the wheels in motion to inclusion in talks. He had no doubt that in the event of an unequivocal IRA ceasefire, in words that were believable, Sinn Fein would shortly afterwards be taking its place at the negotiating table. "My Government colleagues and I would do everything necessary to bring that about," he said.
He repeated that only the republican movement itself could grasp the opportunity that existed. Nobody else could do it, not John Major, not President Clinton, not John Hume, not himself.
There was no question of the Government's deep commitment to, and involvement in, the multi party talks being influenced by the notion of waiting for the republican movement to make up its mind.
"We will continue to do everything we can to secure progress, with or without Sinn Fein," he said.
