Ahern pleads to SF to help peace process

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern today presented one his bleakest assessments of prospects for the Northern Ireland peace process - and issued a direct plea to Sinn Fein and their IRA allies to help overcome the crisis.

Speaking after talks in Downing Street yesterday with Tony Blair and pro-Good Friday agreement parties from Northern Ireland, he said positions appeared to have polarised strongly since the general election in the UK.