Ahern to hear demand for NI election date

The Taoiseach will today hear more demands for an assembly election to take place soon in Northern Ireland.

The Taoiseach will today hear more demands for an assembly election to take place soon in Northern Ireland.

The cross-community Women's Coalition were due to meet the Taoiseach in Dublin as efforts continued to restore devolution. Former South Belfast Assembly member Ms Monica McWilliams said her party wanted a firm date for elections.

"Top of our agenda is the need for an election," she said. "A poll is the only thing which can inject a bit of credibility back into the process and it should not be postponed further by parties wavering over the choreography of steps which need to be taken.

"We do not mind which comes first - IRA decommissioning or guarantees of the stability of the institutions.

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"It is imperative that both happen in the coming weeks. We cannot further stall political progress because of a farcical chicken and egg argument about who moves first," Ms McWilliams said.

In recent days, Mr David Trimble's Ulster Unionists and Sinn Féin have clashed over demands by republicans for a firm election date to be declared regardless of the current negotiations.