Haass holds devolution talks

US President George W Bush’s special advisor on Northern Ireland was today holding talks with the Irish Government on efforts to restore devolution at Stormont.

Ambassador Richard Haass was expected to meet Bertie Ahern and foreign minister Brian Cowen in separate meetings in Dublin and pledge the US’s continued support for efforts to resolve devolution.

He was also expected to discuss the Iraq crisis with them amid Irish opposition protests that the refuelling of US jets at Shannon Airport contravenes the country’s neutrality.

Mr Haass met Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy in London yesterday as parties in Belfast psyched themselves up for next week’s intense round of talks involving the Prime Minister Tony Blair and Mr Ahern.