Ahern and Blair push for peace

Northern Ireland’s peace process was today facing its most critical day for five years as the British and Irish governments prepared to reveal their blueprint for restoring devolution and ending paramilitarism for ever.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair were due to set out their programme of action for the Good Friday Agreement at Hillsborough Castle in a bid to persuade the IRA to abandon the gun.