BRITISH PRIME minister David Cameron is expected in Northern Ireland next week to keep a commitment he made in Belfast two days before polling in the Westminster general election.
Newly appointed Northern Secretary Owen Paterson, who met the leaders of the five main Northern parties yesterday, said that Mr Cameron was “on target” to honour his pledge.
Mr Cameron said at the La Mon Hotel last Tuesday week that if elected prime minister, he would be back in Northern Ireland “within a week”. Initially, according to senior sources, Mr Cameron planned to be in Northern Ireland on Monday to meet his seven-day undertaking.
The prospect of volcanic ash next week prompted his aides to alter this plan yesterday, the sources said. There was concern that if he travelled to the North on Monday he might not be able to fly back to London for the opening of the House of Commons on Tuesday, they added.
It is now hoped Mr Cameron, who spoke to First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness by phone on Wednesday, will visit on Thursday.
The first leader Mr Paterson met yesterday on his first full day in office was Ulster Unionist chief Sir Reg Empey, whose future as leader may be decided today when he faces his party executive.
Mr Paterson met Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness separately and together at Stormont Castle, after which he spoke to reporters.
He was asked whether he would be perceived as more sympathetic to unionists, and whether his view of his sister party, the UUP, would be “first among equals”.
He said he would be even-handed, adding he was on “Christian name terms” with Mr McGuinness from his regular visits to the North when he was shadow Northern Secretary.
“On the deficit, Northern Ireland will have to pay its share,” he added.
He said the Saville report on Bloody Sunday would be published soon. “We have [yet] to print the thing, five and a half thousand pages long.”