Taoiseach to meet with Paisley on Wednesday

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is to meet the North’s potential future First Minister Ian Paisley at Farmleigh in Dublin on Wednesday, it emerged today.

Mr Ahern is expected to take the opportunity to congratulate Mr Paisley in person on his decision to re-establish power-sharing Executive with Sinn Féin on May 8.

The Taoiseach said the meeting would allow for an informal exchange of views since their last meeting in Scotland late last year.

“It will be an opportunity for us to go through all of the work, and really since St Andrew's, we haven't met in over six months,” said Mr Ahern.

“Now as the departments are agreed and as the structures are agreed and the progress of last week to set out a programme between now and the eighth of May and more importantly from the eighth of May on.”