This Week They Said

We have put to the IRA the view that if it could make a ground-breaking move on the arms issue that this could save the peace…

We have put to the IRA the view that if it could make a ground-breaking move on the arms issue that this could save the peace process from collapse and transform the situation.

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams

In order to save the peace process, we have implemented a scheme agreed with the IICD in August. Our motivation is clear. This unprecedented move is to save the peace process and to persuade others of our genuine intentions.

The Provisional IRA

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We have now witnessed an event - which we regard as significant - in which the IRA has put a quantity of arms beyond use. The material in question includes arms, ammunition and explosives.

The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning

This is the day we were told would never happen. This is the day we were told we would never see.

David Trimble, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party

They are very nice people, they have never caused any trouble around here.

Elderly Crossmaglen woman on the IRA

I am not going to contemplate double-figure increases and Ministers simply have to temper their spending plans. I am not entertaining their demands.

Minister for Finance Charlie McCreevy

Is Ms O'Rourke saying the only future for this strategic national asset is to sell the company on its knees in a car-boot sale to anyone who will come up with a few pounds to keep this thing going?

Richard Bruton of Fine Gael

Somebody is telling lies here.

John Coughlan SC, for the Moriarty tribunal, on the contradictions between Denis O'Brien and Telenor

It's a big world, there are lots of countries. He's got a lot of money, he's got a lot of people who support him and I just don't know whether we'll be successful.

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld suggesting the US may not succeed in capturing Osama bin Laden

I made a bad decision five or six months ago when I decided not to put this product on the market. I'm not going to make a second mistake by not doing that now . . . If there's a chance of saving any lives, it's worth it.

Michigan entrepreneur John Rivers, who has started selling parachutes for people living in high-rise buildings

The way to beat Osama is through humiliation. The CIA should kidnap him, give him a sex change and send him back to Afghanistan. He wouldn't enjoy that.

Columnist and RTE presenter Sean Moncrieff

It is time for an honest and commonsense approach focusing effectively on the drugs that cause the most harm.

The British Home Secretary, Mr David Blunkett, on his move to relax the law on cannabis possession

To be honest, I don't blame him for not moving in, what with all the burglaries. It's not a good area and it's going downhill.

A constituent of Labour MP Shaun Woodward. Mr Woodward defected from the Conservatives and was moved to a new constituency. He bought a house there but has yet to move in.

One time I found a frog in a cup of tea she had served me. That is the reason I went for another woman.

Andrew Nyoka explaining to Judges in Lusaka why he became estranged from his wife. They granted a divorce.