Reid hoping for quick restoration of power-sharing

THE Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid yesterday told Britain’s House of Commons that he very much hoped that the suspended political institutions in the North “can be restored quickly”.

Speaking just hours after control of the North's affairs was returned to London for the fourth time since the agreement, Dr Reid said that he had reluctantly taken the decisive action to avert the total collapse of the peace process.

He paid tribute to the work of the assembly and to First Minister David Trimble and said that the ordinary people of Northern Ireland were the real losers.