Northern Secretary to meet DUP delegation in Co Down today
Northern Secretary Paul Murphy is due to meet a delegation from the Democratic Unionist Party at Hillsborough Castle in Co Down today.
The meeting is part of preparations for next month’s round-table peace talks at Leeds Castle, which will be chaired by the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Today’s talks are expected to be dominated by the issue of policing.
The DUP has insisted that it is willing to share power with Sinn Féin once the IRA disbands and decommissions, but Sinn Féin has insisted that this will only be achieved as part of a deal to transfer policing and justice powers to the Northern institutions.
The DUP is opposed to his move in the short to medium-term.
