17/07/2007
Ministers meet at north-south conference
The First Minister Ian Paisley and members of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) have attended meetings with ministers from the Irish Republic today.
Mr Paisley, along with Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness met the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern at a North-South ministerial conference.
News of a joint investment of £400 million on cross-border road projects came after the meeting in Armagh, with Mr McGuinness saying the road from Omagh to Donegal and the route from Belfast to Larne should become dual carriageways.
The council, which was set up under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, has not sat for five years as it was originally rejected by the DUP.
However, Mr Paisley said they were entering “new territory”.
“We are meeting under a new aegis because of the alterations made during the negotiations to get this new government off the ground.
“This is new territory to a large extent and I hope it will be very successful,” Mr Paisley said.
Mr McGuinness described the meeting today at Armagh as “another mighty leap forward.”
“There is clearly in our own vested interests the need to ensure the success of all of these institutions – and we are going to work to ensure that they are successful,” he said.
Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern described the gathering as ‘very significant’.
He said Mr Paisley and Mr McGuinness involved together “indicates how far we have come. I believe it is a new political era.”
Ministers also agreed to proceed with the restoration of another section of the Ulster Canal, which will be part of a £100m scheme to provide water from the north of the Province through to the River Shannon and across the Irish Republic.
(JM/KMcA)
Mr Paisley, along with Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness met the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern at a North-South ministerial conference.
News of a joint investment of £400 million on cross-border road projects came after the meeting in Armagh, with Mr McGuinness saying the road from Omagh to Donegal and the route from Belfast to Larne should become dual carriageways.
The council, which was set up under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, has not sat for five years as it was originally rejected by the DUP.
However, Mr Paisley said they were entering “new territory”.
“We are meeting under a new aegis because of the alterations made during the negotiations to get this new government off the ground.
“This is new territory to a large extent and I hope it will be very successful,” Mr Paisley said.
Mr McGuinness described the meeting today at Armagh as “another mighty leap forward.”
“There is clearly in our own vested interests the need to ensure the success of all of these institutions – and we are going to work to ensure that they are successful,” he said.
Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern described the gathering as ‘very significant’.
He said Mr Paisley and Mr McGuinness involved together “indicates how far we have come. I believe it is a new political era.”
Ministers also agreed to proceed with the restoration of another section of the Ulster Canal, which will be part of a £100m scheme to provide water from the north of the Province through to the River Shannon and across the Irish Republic.
(JM/KMcA)
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