Assembly will carry on regardless: Ahern

DEADLOCK over a power-sharing deal should not stop the Northern Assembly from operating, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said yesterday.

As the British and Irish governments prepare to unveil their blueprint for restoring Stormont, Mr Ahern told the BBC that a Northern Ireland Assembly may operate for some months without an executive if necessary.

Although the suggestion will be regarded by some as tantamount to a shadow assembly, Mr Ahern said he wanted to give the assembly a chance and said it would not be a meaningless interim assembly.