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Prime Minister Brown on NI visit | Prime Minister Brown on NI visit |
(40 minutes later) | |
Prime Minister Gordon Brown is making his first visit to Northern Ireland since taking over from Tony Blair at Downing Street. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown is making his first visit to Northern Ireland since taking over from Tony Blair at Downing Street. |
He will meet Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and the leaders of the devolved UK governments at a summit of the British-Irish Council at Stormont. | |
Northern Ireland's executive ministers are expected to call again for a peace dividend at the meeting. | |
Strategic transport links in Britain and Ireland will also be discussed. | Strategic transport links in Britain and Ireland will also be discussed. |
The council is viewed by unionists as an important counter to the agreement's cross-border all-Ireland institutions. | The council is viewed by unionists as an important counter to the agreement's cross-border all-Ireland institutions. |
Since its first meeting in the 1990s, nationalists have come into power in Scotland and Wales and the DUP and Sinn Fein are dominant in Northern Ireland. | Since its first meeting in the 1990s, nationalists have come into power in Scotland and Wales and the DUP and Sinn Fein are dominant in Northern Ireland. |
BBC NI politicial editor Mark Devenport said: "As chancellor, Mr Brown played a central role in the negotiations which paved the way towards the restoration of devolution. | BBC NI politicial editor Mark Devenport said: "As chancellor, Mr Brown played a central role in the negotiations which paved the way towards the restoration of devolution. |
"Those talks didn't produce as much as local politicians wanted. But they did lead to a delay in water charges. | "Those talks didn't produce as much as local politicians wanted. But they did lead to a delay in water charges. |
"Today, executive ministers will renew their call for a peace dividend. They will also present a paper on strategic transport links throughout Britain and Ireland." | "Today, executive ministers will renew their call for a peace dividend. They will also present a paper on strategic transport links throughout Britain and Ireland." |
The council brings together eight governments representing Westminster, Dublin, devolved nations, the Channel Isles and the Isle of Man. | The council brings together eight governments representing Westminster, Dublin, devolved nations, the Channel Isles and the Isle of Man. |