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| Devolution 'needs financial deal' | Devolution 'needs financial deal' |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern has said an economic package for Northern Ireland is necessary in order to get the assembly up and running. | |
| Mr Ahern said his department was meeting Treasury officials on an almost daily basis over a financial deal. | |
| Speaking on The Politics Show, Mr Ahern said Irish money would only be put into Northern Ireland if it also benefited people in the south. | Speaking on The Politics Show, Mr Ahern said Irish money would only be put into Northern Ireland if it also benefited people in the south. |
| The governments want a power-sharing executive in place by 26 March. | The governments want a power-sharing executive in place by 26 March. |
| Mr Ahern outlined how the Irish government was prepared to help any devolved institution at Stormont. | Mr Ahern outlined how the Irish government was prepared to help any devolved institution at Stormont. |
| "We have already indicated very clearly, and in a very upfront way, what we are prepared to do," he told the BBC. | "We have already indicated very clearly, and in a very upfront way, what we are prepared to do," he told the BBC. |
| "We are not going to put our money from the Republic into Northern Ireland unless there is a benefit, a mutual benefit, but a benefit particularly for our tax payers in the Republic. | "We are not going to put our money from the Republic into Northern Ireland unless there is a benefit, a mutual benefit, but a benefit particularly for our tax payers in the Republic. |
| "There is no doubt that an economic package has to be available. | "There is no doubt that an economic package has to be available. |
| "If the politicians do put their difficulties aside and do go into a devolved government, I think it is incumbent on both governments, particularly the British government, to give them a fair wind in order to allow that executive to bed down." | "If the politicians do put their difficulties aside and do go into a devolved government, I think it is incumbent on both governments, particularly the British government, to give them a fair wind in order to allow that executive to bed down." |
| Direct rule | Direct rule |
| Mr Ahern was speaking in Washington where politicians gathered for St Patrick's Day celebrations. | Mr Ahern was speaking in Washington where politicians gathered for St Patrick's Day celebrations. |
| His comments come a day after Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain warned that the restoration of devolution to Northern Ireland was not a done deal. | His comments come a day after Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain warned that the restoration of devolution to Northern Ireland was not a done deal. |
| Mr Hain said there was more negotiating to be done and warned there would be consequences if devolution failed. | Mr Hain said there was more negotiating to be done and warned there would be consequences if devolution failed. |
| If a power-sharing executive is formed, it will have four DUP ministers, three Sinn Fein, two UUP and one SDLP. | If a power-sharing executive is formed, it will have four DUP ministers, three Sinn Fein, two UUP and one SDLP. |
| The Northern Ireland Assembly has been suspended since October 2002, amid allegations of an IRA spy ring at Stormont. A subsequent court case collapsed. Direct rule has been in place since that date. | The Northern Ireland Assembly has been suspended since October 2002, amid allegations of an IRA spy ring at Stormont. A subsequent court case collapsed. Direct rule has been in place since that date. |
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