Ahern urges Paisley to talk to SF

The Reverend Ian Paisley was tonight urged to engage Sinn Féin in direct dialogue ahead of next month’s crucial talks to revive power-sharing in Northern Ireland.

Embattled Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, who earlier faced questions in the Dáil about the controversy over personal loans he received, admitted he was worried by the lack of direct engagement between the parties ahead of the talks in St Andrews in Scotland on October 11.