DUP leader shakes hands with Taoiseach

Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern has shared a first public handshake with DUP leader Ian Paisley as they met today to discuss last week’s deal to revive power-sharing.

They met at Farmleigh House in Dublin’s Phoenix Park and as Mr Paisley arrived, accompanied by his son Ian Paisley Jr, he said: “Good morning. I better shake hands with this man and give you a firm grip.”

Meanwhile, Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern last night delivered the Tip O’Neill peace lecture at University of Ulster’s Magee campus.

Referring to the peace process, he said: “We need to give serious consideration to our approach in dealing with the challenge of building lasting reconciliation on the ground in local communities.”

He also described last week’s meeting which announced May 8 as the date to start power-sharing as “a shift in the political paradigm of Northern Ireland.”

“The parties grasped the opportunity of a lifetime and committed themselves to support and participate fully in a partnership government and in all of the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement,” he said.

“Restoration of the power-sharing institutions on May 8, as now agreed parties, will mark major progress, but it will not be the end of the road.”

(JM/SP)