Blair 'never lost interest'

Prime minister Tony Blair "never lost interest" in trying to end the Northern Ireland conflict, despite numerous setbacks, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said. Mr Blair will hold "an honoured place in Irish history", Mr Ahern added.

The Government will establish a centre for Irish studies in a UK college to mark Mr Blair's contribution, following an agreement with him last week.

"He was a great person to work with from my point of view. His interest in Ireland, his knowledge of Ireland, he really got to know all of the personalities. The way that he got to know the Irish psyche was extraordinary," said Mr Ahern.

He had swung unionists behind the Belfast Agreement during the 1998 referendum campaign "by going out on a total limb in the campaign", he added.

"Even though we had setbacks after that with the Omagh bombing, it just seemed always to renew his determination that ultimately we would get to a working agreement.

"From my point of view, he was a tremendous person . . . we could spend all day talking about all of the issues," he told journalists in Mayo. "Yes, he is a very great friend of mine now . . . he would also keep in touch with Irish issues and with Ireland."

Following 10 years of Mr Blair, the relationship between the governments is "now on a different level" to anything ever experienced before.