I thought the most interesting part of Mr Adams speech was: "It is also worth noting, despite the understandable goodwill that the Taoiseach receives for his work on the process, that any initiatives, imperfect though they may be, have come from the British government". In fact, I thought it was an astonishing statement, even though he tried to claim credit by saying that these things had only been done because of Sinn Fein. This is Sinn Fein saying that the way forward is with the Brits, and that the Republic is simply not helping - isn't that remarkable?
From an outside perspective it looks like the IRA and Sinn Fein are desperately trying to find some way to look forward, the DUP are intent on looking back, and the SDLP have become irrelevant. It also seems that the only people still carrying out punishment beatings are the loyalist paramiltaries, and that only helps to give Sinn Fein the higher ground.
One thing stands out a mile, at least from a mainland point of view - the IRA and Sinn Fein have shifted their positions massively, the DUP have not. Gerry Adams has just proposed Ian Paisley as First Minister. I couldn't imagine that happening the other way around.
I think its deeply unfortunate that David Trimble has lost his position here. Discuss.

"This is Sinn Fein saying that the way forward is with the Brits, and that the Republic is simply not helping - isn't that remarkable?"

I interpret it more as an attack on the current Irish government. Sinn Fein have some big electoral ambitions down there, and it serves their purpose for the moment. Of course all the initiatives have come from the British government (IMHO probably after discussions with Bertie and co.) - they still run things here.

My prediction: by the end of November we will see the DUP form an executive with an SF deputy first minister. Allowing unrepentant terrorists, hostile to the very existence of the state, into government in the name of peace and the greater good will also be a "massive shift" - which of course will go unrecognised.

"I think its deeply unfortunate that David Trimble has lost his position here. "
That was my gut reaction too. But perhaps street-level unionism needs to see someone with the credentials of Paisley do the deal before they will finally accept it?

i dont see the assembly deadline being met myself.
unionists are so afraid of change they'll refuse to talk to sinn fein and blame it on their old excuse "ira bla bla".
moving any direction away from the status quo in northern ireland is unthinkable to ian paisley who i think in his senile years is probobly trying to find a time machine to go back to when workplace's had signs reading "catholics need not apply" and britian actually wanted northern ireland for its wealth.
Sinn Fein have changed dramitacally in recent years and now seem to be a party who are genuinely working for peace which leaves the unionists out of ammo when they come to riddicule sinn fein and just revert back to their old "sinn fein ira" slogan which they believe justifies theyre child like tantrum with sinn fein beacuse theyre a large nationalist party.
Sinn Fein see any move into power as a real gain even if it means unionism has greater power.
this could lead to equal rights for nationalists in such things as flying the tricolour on st.patricks day, but the sheer thought of catholics being able to express their culture in a small equal way like this sends shivers of cold panic down loyalists spine.
i'll just sit back and watch it all unfold and then most likely crash in disaster, the long history of unionism despising sinn fein "has'nt gone away y'know" and will inevitably prevent the country moving forward and leave us all in this economic disaster in the north which suits all unionists perfectly so long as they can fly their union jacks wnd still live in the past belief that theyre actually the rulers of northern ireland and not just stuck in a tug of war like the rest of us

Stephen, a lot of what you say makes (a small amount of) sense, but the idea that flying tricolours on St Patrick's day is "expressing culture" is sadly farsical.

Also, Sinn Fein "genuinely working for peace" while unionists just refuse to move is just the simplistic line that Sinn Fein feed their masses. The fact that they still refuse to support the police (something fairly central to a democracy) is a major problem.

And back to the OP - if they're working so hard for peace why have they been refusing to debate "education reform, water charges, health and rates increases" in Hain's Assembly?