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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| March assembly election confirmed | March assembly election confirmed |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Northern Ireland assembly election is to be held on Wednesday, 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. |
| Mr Blair said there was "a tremendous yearning now for this process to reach its proper completion". | Mr Blair said there was "a tremendous yearning now for this process to reach its proper completion". |
| He said the election could be "the start of a completely different future for the people of Northern Ireland". | He said the election could be "the start of a completely different future for the people of Northern Ireland". |
| The prime minister said it had been several years since the executive at Stormont was dissolved. | The prime minister said it had been several years since the executive at Stormont was dissolved. |
| "During that process of time the people of Northern Ireland have been without the direct voice that they wanted," he said. | "During that process of time the people of Northern Ireland have been without the direct voice that they wanted," he said. |
| "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." | "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. | 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. | "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. | 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 DUP leader Ian Paisley, that it was ready to take part in a power-sharing executive, adding: "I accept that." |