Ahern and Blair meet to discuss return of Northern Assembly

The Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister are meeting on the fringes of the EU summit in Brussels.

Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair are expected to discuss a possible timetable, which could see a return of the Northern Assembly ahead of next May's Assembly elections.

Both sides are hoping that paramilitaries on all sides will make the leap towards disbandment to break the current deadlock.