Paisley to meet Ahern for talks on Friday

Democratic Unionist Party leader Ian Paisley will hold crucial talks on Northern Ireland with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in Dublin on Friday, it emerged tonight.

It will be the first time a DUP delegation has held formal discussions with Mr Ahern since the IRA announced an end to its 36-year armed campaign in late July and completed decommissioning of its arms in September.