Some 45 per cent of voters in the State believe it would not be possible for a Northern executive to function without the decommissioning of arms, according to the latest Irish Times/MRBI opinion poll.
This indicates that the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, is receiving strong support for views he expressed in a Sunday Times interview two weeks ago when he said membership of the executive required a start to decommissioning.
The level of support for the Belfast Agreement has slipped to 69 per cent compared to the overwhelming 94.39 per cent Yes vote in the referendum in the State nine months ago. The poll was conducted among a Statewide quota sample of 1,000 electors at 100 sampling points throughout all constituencies last Tuesday and Wednesday. The findings are expected to be helpful to the Taoiseach as he attempts to break the decommissioning logjam in the coming month.
A heated controversy was generated in Sinn Fein when Mr Ahern told the Sunday Times last Sunday week: "I am on record in recent weeks and months as saying that it is not compatible with being a part of a government - I mean part of an executive - that there is not at least a commencement of decommissioning, and that would apply in the North, it would apply in the South. That is what we need to achieve".
Asked if it would be possible for a government to function in Northern Ireland in the absence of the decommissioning of weapons by paramilitary organisations, 45 per cent of voters responded that it would not be possible. An equal proportion of Fianna Fail and Progressive Democrats supporters, 48 per cent, took that view.
Some 39 per cent of voters, 38 per cent of Fianna Fail and 45 per cent of PD supporters among them, said that it would be possible for the executive to function without decommissioning.
If now asked to vote on the Belfast Agreement, including the changes to Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution, 69 per cent of voters would vote Yes, 9 per cent would vote No and 23 per cent were undecided.
This marks a 25 per cent drop in support for the agreement since the historic referendum was held on May 22nd last year. This finding could pose a challenge to the Taoiseach when he has to decide whether to implement, or postpone, the constitutional changes in three months' time.
