Northern Ireland News - Taoiseach visits Northern Ireland on one-day trip

19 February 2004

Taoiseach visits Northern Ireland on one-day trip

Irish Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern arrived in Northern Ireland today for a special one-day visit.

Mr Ahern's first engagement was to give a keynote address at the University of Ulster's Coleraine campus on Thursday.

There he said he was "absolutely convinced" that the Good Friday Agreement was the only viable option in achieving a lasting, peaceful settlement in Northern Ireland.

Commenting on the current impasse in talks and the review of the Agreement, he said: "I believe we can meet this challenge. The road already travelled has indeed been long and winding and we cannot and must not stop now."

The Taoiseach then set off for Omagh and the scene of the 1998 Real IRA bombing which killed 29 people.

However, this visit was overshadowed by the non-attendance of the relatives of many of those who lost loved ones in the atrocity.

Michael Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son Aidan died in the bomb, said the relatives were staying away in protest at what they see as the "token" nature of visit.

Later on Thursday, Mr Ahern will rounded off his trip in Belfast where he will meet the city's Lord Mayor, Martin Morgan, as well as councillors and community workers.

(MB)