The Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern, and his British counterpart, Prime Minister Tony Blair, tonight agreed to hold a Downing Street summit next week in a bid to break the deadlock in the Northern peace process.
The two leaders met for private talks after an EU summit dinner in Gothenburg, Sweden as Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble faced mounting criticism from within his own party over his stance on the Belfast Agreement.
Mr Blair's official spokesman said the two leaders had met for more than an hour to discuss the latest impasse in the North and added: "The discussion focused almost entirely on the peace process.
"Clearly there continued to be difficulties but there remains a commitment from both Prime Ministers to move the process forward.
"They agreed to meet next Monday in Downing Street after which there will be further discussions next week."