Ahern must end peace process drift, says SDLP

The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern was urged today to stop the drift in Northern Ireland's peace process.

The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern was urged today to stop the drift in Northern Ireland's peace process.

After talks with Mr Ahern in Dublin, SDLP leader Mr Mark Durkan put forward plans from his party to move the Good Friday Agreement forward.

The Foyle MLA, who was joined at the meeting by Belfast Lord Mayor Martin Morgan, also said his party believed it should not have to wait for a peaceful summer before political progress could be made.

"We don't want this drift to go on any longer," he said.  "We are 18 months in suspension. The British government is on a go-slow on implementing the Agreement.

READ MORE

"The North-South agenda isn't moving. The human rights agenda is at sea. This is not what the SDLP set out to achieve and is not what we can accept. The SDLP wants all the agreement back up and running again," Mr Durkan said.

He added: "But if parties are not going to agree to work the agreement or play their part in ending all paramilitary activity, then the SDLP has to seek as much of the Agreement as possible."

Last night the Minister for Foreign Minister, Mr Cowen, met Democratic Unionist leader the Rev Ian Paisley and his negotiating team at Stormont amid mounting concern in Northern Ireland that the peace process lacks focus.