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15/09/2006
PM's meet to discuss November deadline
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is to meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair today to discuss the progress being made in the Northern Ireland political process.
The premiers are due to meet at Chequers this morning to finalise their plans for intensive talks which are due to take place in Scotland next month.
After a meeting with the Prime Minister on at Downing Street on Wednesday, DUP leader Ian Paisley warned Mr Blair that he did not believe that the November 24 deadline would be reached, and added that holding talks in Scotland was a waste of money.
On Thursday, Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern said that failure to reach an agreement by the deadline would confine the parties to the margins of policy-making.
The 108 MLA's returned to Stormont in May this year, in what has been described as a “virtual assembly,” which can meet and debate legislation, however is not authorised to pass it.
After the British and Irish government's imposed the November 24 deadline, the politicians were warned that if the deadline is not met, their salaries will be stopped and “the assembly would be put in mothballs.”
What happens then remains unclear, however Dublin and London say they remain committed to implementing the rest of the Good Friday Agreement.
The Northern Ireland assembly was suspended in October 2002 over allegations of a republican spy ring and direct rule was reinstated.
However, the court case arising from the allegations collapsed and one of those charged, Denis Donaldson, later admitted working as a British agent.
However, with the local assembly dissolved, the British government ministers have remained in control.
(EF/SP)
The premiers are due to meet at Chequers this morning to finalise their plans for intensive talks which are due to take place in Scotland next month.
After a meeting with the Prime Minister on at Downing Street on Wednesday, DUP leader Ian Paisley warned Mr Blair that he did not believe that the November 24 deadline would be reached, and added that holding talks in Scotland was a waste of money.
On Thursday, Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern said that failure to reach an agreement by the deadline would confine the parties to the margins of policy-making.
The 108 MLA's returned to Stormont in May this year, in what has been described as a “virtual assembly,” which can meet and debate legislation, however is not authorised to pass it.
After the British and Irish government's imposed the November 24 deadline, the politicians were warned that if the deadline is not met, their salaries will be stopped and “the assembly would be put in mothballs.”
What happens then remains unclear, however Dublin and London say they remain committed to implementing the rest of the Good Friday Agreement.
The Northern Ireland assembly was suspended in October 2002 over allegations of a republican spy ring and direct rule was reinstated.
However, the court case arising from the allegations collapsed and one of those charged, Denis Donaldson, later admitted working as a British agent.
However, with the local assembly dissolved, the British government ministers have remained in control.
(EF/SP)
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Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:West to northwest gale force winds, severe along the north coast, will continue overnight. Frequent showers persist, merging into longer periods of rain at times and turning wintry. Minimum temperature 1 °C.
