Taoiseach expects decommissioning statement difficulties

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has admitted that he expected the Ulster Unionist Party to have difficulties with the lack of detail about the latest act of IRA decommissioning.

Speaking in the Dáil today, Mr Ahern said he believed the destruction of IRA weapons, ammunition and explosives yesterday was significant.

However, he admitted that he feared the significance of the move would not be clear to unionists if the IRA did not allow the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning to give details of what arms were destroyed.

Mr Ahern said: "Until General John de Chastelain presented his report and told us what he could or couldn’t say, we didn’t know the outcome of that.

"Neither did David Trimble. I always felt that was a difficulty."