The Taoiseach has acknowledged that he underestimated the furore caused by the Budget proposal on tax individualisation. On RTÉ's This Week programme, Mr Ahern said that, while he as Taoiseach accepted responsibility for any political mistakes, the proposal would still be included in this year's Finance Bill.
On the North, he said that he was confident that an Executive would still be in place after the February deadline set by David Trimble for a start to arms decommissioning. He said that he was sure the Republicans, who now held senior posts in government, would play their part. Mr Ahern said that he still had an aspiration to Irish unity, but believed that people should concentrate first on developing the new institutions.
The SDLP leader has said that he intends to continue working on behalf of all the people of the North, especially in Europe and internationally. Also speaking on This Week, John Hume said that he had had four operations during 1999 as a result of a very serious illness, but that he is now recuperating and hopes his health will continue to improve. On the prospects for the Good Friday Agreement and the new Executive, he said that peace on the streets has transformed the atmosphere and nobody can afford to go back to the past.
