Bid to restore devolution

INTENSIVE talks on the North’s future are expected to be held in London’s Lancaster House later this month.

The Irish and British governments are to call all sides in Belfast together for a three-day negotiating session to try to restore devolution in advance of the European elections in June.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British Prime Minister Tony Blair are prepared to clear their trays to facilitate the process. London and Dublin fear they need to inject major momentum into the process to prevent it drifting without resolution towards the summer.