Ahern and Adams to speak

The Taoiseach and the Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, are expected to speak today on how to press ahead with talks to save the Good Friday agreement.

Meanwhile, the UDP, which speaks for the UDA, met last night to decide whether to continue supporting the agreement but the meeting broke up without a decision. It is believed, however, that five of the UDA's Inner Council are opposed to it.

The UDA has been increasingly active in pipe bomb attacks on vulnerable Catholics living in mixed areas such as Larne, Ballymena and Coleraine. A return to full-scale violence by the group could soon be imminent.