This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6311507.stm

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
March assembly election confirmed March assembly election confirmed
(20 minutes later)
The Northern Ireland assembly election is to be held on 7 March as planned, Prime Minister Tony Blair has confirmed. The Northern Ireland assembly election is to be held on Wednesday, 7 March as planned, Prime Minister Tony Blair has confirmed.
He made the announcement after meeting Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern at Downing Street.He made the announcement after meeting Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern at Downing Street.
The Stormont Assembly dissolved on Monday with the politicians paying tribute to the Speaker Eileen Bell. Mr Blair said there was "a tremendous yearning now for this process to reach its proper completion".
She gave her best wishes to those outgoing assembly members who are seeking re-election. He said the election could be "the start of a completely different future for the people of Northern Ireland".
Whether the politicians return in March with any real power depends on the DUP and Sinn Fein sorting out their outstanding difficulties. The prime minister said it had been several years since the executive at Stormont was dissolved.
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams' comments urging victims of crime to cooperate with the police have moved matters forward. "During that process of time the people of Northern Ireland have been without the direct voice that they wanted," he said.
However, DUP leader Ian Paisley wants to see what he calls "real delivery" by republicans in the coming weeks. "Now we have the prospect over these coming weeks of managing to ensure that the executive goes back up and we have a proper set of devolved institutions on a basis that is sustainable."
Mr Blair and Mr Ahern said Sinn Fein's decision to endorse policing and Tuesday's report from the Independence Monitoring Commission provided further reassurance that Northern Ireland had moved on.
"Our purpose now is to ensure that Northern Ireland can build on all of these positive developments through the restoration of shared, accountable government committed to serving all of the people," the prime ministers said in a statement.
They said devolution would be restored if there was proper support for the rule of law and the police from republicans, and a commitment to power sharing by the 26 March by the DUP.
Mr Ahern said Mr Blair was "convinced", from his talks with DUPleader Ian Paisley, that it was ready to take part in apower-sharing executive, adding: "I accept that."