Ahern and Blair to hold talks

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British Prime Minister Tony Blair will hold talks in London next week in their first meeting since IRA decommissioning.

An Irish Government spokesman confirmed Mr Ahern will meet Mr Blair on Tuesday to discuss future progress in Northern Ireland and a number of other issues.

It will be the first official contact between the two leaders since the International Independent Commission on Decommissioning confirmed last week that it believed that the IRA had put its weapons arsenal beyond use.

Mr Ahern will also hold talks delegations from the SDLP and the cross-community Alliance Party in Dublin on Thursday.

Irish President Mary McAleese is also believed to be paying official visits to Co Armagh and Co Antrim later this month.