New NI peace plan may be imminent

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern and British Prime Minister Tony Blair hope to publish their new Northern Ireland peace package.

But the deal-making to restart the Good Friday Agreement on the fifth anniversary of the historic accord is expected to go right down to the wire, and the Governments are taking nothing for granted.

The Taoiseach arrives at Hillsborough Castle the scene of the war and peace summit with US President George W Bush earlier this week this afternoon, for final meetings with Mr Blair and pro-agreement parties.