The Taoiseach has again pressed the British Prime Minister for changes in the Police Bill sought by nationalists, as concern continues over the IRA's failure so far to deliver on its promised "confidence-building measure" on weapons.
Mr Ahern met Mr Blair last night to push for amendments that would make the planned new Police Service of Northern Ireland more acceptable to nationalists. The changes being sought include the strengthening of the new police boards, alteration to the oath to be taken by members of the force and the removal of the blanket disqualification of those with paramilitary related convictions from joining the force.
The two men also discussed the concern over the IRA's failure so far to open some of its weapons dumps to inspection as promised on May 6th. That gesture was expected to have been made within a short time of its announcement. The two international inspectors, the former Secretary General of the African National Congress, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, and the former Finnish President, Mr Maarti Ahtisaari, have yet to be shown the selected arms dumps.
While there has been some concern that the dilution of the Patten police reform proposals might cause the IRA to go back on its commitment, Government sources say they have heard nothing from their contacts with republicans to suggest this will happen. However, they still do not know when the gesture will be made.
Mr Ahern and Mr Blair had two short conversations on the margin of the European Council meeting during the day, and a longer discussion last night. The Police Bill will receive detailed consideration during its committee stage at Westminster early next month, and it is at that stage the Government hopes changes can be made in the current bill.
"We are trying to resolve as many of the issues on Patten as we can," Mr Ahern told reporters last night. "We are trying to get to the stage where the kind of amendments they bring forward at committee stage that we know what they are, and that they are back closer to Patten than the draft legislation."
He said indications from the Northern Secretary, Mr Mandelson, of a willingness to take nationalist concerns on board were helpful. "We just want to try to put as many of these to bed as we can."
Mr Ahern and Mr Blair also discussed the prospect of holding another meeting of the British Irish Council - among the institutions suspended from February to May of this year - as soon as possible. The Government is also anxious to ensure that as many bilateral meetings between Northern Ireland Ministers and their Dublin counterparts take place as soon as possible to show that the institutions of the Belfast Agreement are now working fully after the suspension.
They also discussed concerns over the impending climax of the marching season in Northern Ireland in the wake of the weekend's violence.