The stalled unity talks in Irish athletics appeared to be moving back on track yesterday following renewed contact between top-ranking officials of Bord Luthchleas na hEireann (BLE)and the National Athletics and Cultural Association of Ireland (NACA).

Although neither organisation would confirm that a meeting had taken place, it is understood that negotiations were resumed in the last 48 hours in the hope of finding more common ground between organisations separated over the years by deep ideological differences.

Last week, Michael Heery, the president of the NACA, said he would have substantial problems selling the unity package to his members ahead of the November 6th meeting when the two associations are due to merge to form a new body, the Athletic Association of Ireland.

Among other things, he said that the NACA was demanding to share the international licence for athletics in Northern Ireland with the British authorities and the Northern Ireland Athletics Federation, a stipulation which threatened to derail the whole process.

Without referring to this specific issue, Heery said yesterday that significant progress has since been made and that he was now much more optimistic about the prospects of an agreement emerging.

"There are still some points at issue but the overall picture is now a lot more encouraging," he said. "With the goodwill of all parties, we can have a deal in place on November 6th."

BLE, who had earlier accused the NACA of attempting to rewrite clauses which would essentially change the ethos of the agreement, said that as a result of the latest contacts, they were hopeful that all the potential hazards had now been obviated.

The proposed merger is an integral part of an overall agreement with the Northern Ireland Athletic Federation whereby Irish athletics would be administered by one body on an island-wide basis for the first time in almost 70 years.

Under the terms of the proposed deal, a transitional committee, representative of all three organisations and invested with full plenary powers, would be appointed to govern the sport for a period not exceeding two years. At that point an election would be held to appoint new officers.

The new structure would have far-reaching effects for the development of young athletes, offering them the opportunity of improved domestic competition and, in the case of those in Northern Ireland, providing them with a choice of representing either Ireland or Britain.

This would be an extension of the arrangement currently in operation on a trial basis whereby Northern athletes have the option of representing either team in Category A competition - the Olympic Games, World and European Championships.

Even those deciding to compete for Britain in these championships are free to represent Ireland at a lower level. As a gesture of goodwill, the Northern Ireland Federation would be entitled to chose any athlete resident within their jurisdiction for the Commonwealth Games.

While conscious of the benefits which would derive to their athletes from expanded domestic competition, the NIAF still insist on maintaining their link with Britain through UK Athletics. This point was conceded in the current talks which have been taking place at irregular intervals over the last 15 years.

The need to take account of the two traditions on the island is aggravated in this instance by the presence of two main players, each claiming primacy, in the Republic.

BLE, the body officially licensed by the world governing body, the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF), came into being in 1967 following a merger of the Amateur Athletic Union of Eire and the old NACA.

Hardline members of the NACA, the oldest of all the Irish athletics organisations and the only one claiming jurisdiction on a 32-county basis, refused to accept the agreement, however, and it is the residue of this breakaway group who are now attempting to negotiate an even more complex agreement.

Speaking recently on the difficulties facing his members, Michael Heery called for greater understanding from the other parties in helping to push the talks forward

"Unless there is real movement and more to offer, I will have great difficulty selling it to members of our association. And the last thing I want is another split in the organisation.

"This time we want everybody on board. I don't want anything that would be divisive - we've had enough of that. A sizeable number of our members are not happy with the document in its present form and we simply have to get it right. If the final document is all inclusive we will have no problem running with it.

"We are realists. We know there is no place in the future for separate organisations. But everybody must have the will to make it work - we just have to get it right this time."

BLE insist that under the framework of the proposed merger all the NACA's aspirations are met and that to introduce new emphases now would be to endanger the entire package.

"There will never be a better opportunity to rationalise the structure of the sport in this country and in the interests of the young athletes in all three organisations, it is absolutely essential that we seize it," said one official.

Among those anxiously monitoring the situation is the Minister for Sport, Jim McDaid. Since taking office McDaid has identified athletics unity as one of the prime requisites in Irish sport and earlier this year he gave substance to the point when he said that after 2001 separate funding would not available from his department.