Ahern and Blair map out rescue plan for Northern peace process

BERTIE AHERN and British Prime Minister Tony Blair are mapping out a rescue plan for the Northern peace process, as it now seems inevitable the power-sharing government will collapse.

The British Government is expected to move early next week to suspend the Northern institutions ahead of Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble’s deadline for pulling out of the Assembly.

Heading into a crunch meeting with Mr Blair last night, the Taoiseach said he was against the suspension of the institutions, but appeared to reluctantly accept that scenario was now inevitable.