Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

Sat 10 Oct 2006DUP and Sinn Fein move closer to agreementThe DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness appear to be facing into an agreement which could see them jointly lead a new power-sharing government in Northern Ireland by next March.That was the prospect raised last night after a dramatic conclusion to "hothouse" negotiations here that saw British prime minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern publish their own proposals for the final resolution of the policing issue.