Martin McAleese talked to UDA

President Mary McAleese’s husband, Martin, has held at least one meeting with leading members of the Ulster Defence Association, according to BBC Northern Ireland.

The television station has broadcast footage of Mr McAleese meeting Jackie McDonald, the UDA commander in south Belfast, in the loyalist heartland of Sandy Row.

Tommy Kirkham, a loyalist councillor in Newtownabbey, said there had been quite a few such meetings.

He said loyalism had something to say and would take any available path to make its voice heard.

Mr Kirkham said people in the Republic seemed to take the UDA more seriously than the British government.

Mr McDonald and Mr Kirkham were both part of a loyalist delegation that met the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, in Dublin on Monday night.