Ulster Unionists are still prepared to leave the power-sharing Executive in the absence of further progress on the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons, the First Minister has warned.
During ministerial question time yesterday, Mr Trimble said the independent inspection of IRA arms dumps this year represented progress, but more was needed. The DUP North Belfast MLA, Mr Nigel Dodds, noting there had been "zero" reports on decommissioning since the summer recess, had asked Mr Trimble to acknowledge that republicans had no intention of disarming.
Mr Trimble said his party had already demonstrated it would stick to its "bottom line" of requiring further progress on decommissioning and "those parties which should be proceeding with decommissioning must not be in any doubts about our determination". The Deputy First Minister, Mr Seamus Mallon, said the Executive hoped to have a draft of its programme for government and a budget completed by mid-October.
Mr Mallon said Assembly members would be given six weeks to scrutinise the entire plan, which sets out the priorities and targets for devolved administration in the North for the first time in 30 years. He also criticised the DUP's attitude to participation in the Executive and formation of this plan.
The DUP East Belfast MLA, Mr Sammy Wilson, asked Mr Mallon to confirm that the two DUP ministers were not "sitting down with IRA/Sinn Fein to agree a programme for government".
Mr Mallon replied that "DUP ministers are not pulling their weight collectively in the Executive - I can assure him of that. I think that is a tragedy." In response to other questions, Mr Sam Foster, the Minister of the Environment, said his department would review the erection of mobile telephone masts across the North.
The Regional Development Minister said tap water in areas of Lisburn, Co Antrim, and west Belfast is again safe to drink. Mr Gregory Campbell said tests of the water system in the area were clear, following the recent cryptosporidium bug outbreak which made scores of people ill.