Ahern and Blair to attend devolution talks

Northern Ireland Secretary of State Peter Hain has today confirmed that both Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will take part in intensive talks next month in relation to the November 24 deadline.

The discussions will be held at a location outside of Northern Ireland, and Mr Hain said that they were a “critical” part of the devolution process.

During a meeting at Stormont earlier today, Mr Hain stressed that there was no question of an extension on the imposed deadline.

He said: "Northern Ireland has had deadline after deadline after deadline and for all sorts of good reasons in the past they have been extended."

He added that the legislature would close down at a minute past midnight on November 24 and warned salaries and allowances would be stopped if no agreement was reached.

Mr Hain continued: "The onus is absolutely on the parties to make it work and make that prize their own.

"Only the parties can travel the distance and complete the journey, it is down to them."

The Secretary of State also dismissed criticism from politicians that taking the talks out of the province would be a waste of money.

He said:"I think it's much better to get away from the day-to-day issues and daily pressures that face all politicians.

"This will be a working conference of intense negotiations. This is not some kind of stately home exercise for its own sake.

"I believe it would be the people of Northern Ireland who will have lost out, because democracy will have lost out."

The Northern Ireland assembly was suspended after allegations that a republican spy ring was in operation emerged.

Although the court case later collapsed, direct rule from London was restored in October 2002, and has remained in place ever since.

(EF/SP)