DUP leader talks to paramilitaries

Democratic Unionist Party leader Peter Robinson has held talks with loyalist paramilitary groups to secure their full support for peace, it was revealed last night.

He met the leaderships of the Ulster Defence Association and the Ulster Volunteer Force/Red Hand Commando, who are on ceasefire but have yet to decommission their weapons.

The talks come after a report by the Independent Monitoring Commission ruled that the IRA had effectively gone out of existence.

Mr Robinson said the talks were positive and revealed further meetings are planned.

Democratic Unionist Party leader Peter Robinson is on record as wanting an eventual end to the enforced coalition and obligatory power-sharing arrangements at Stormont.

Tonight the Alliance Party welcomed Mr Durkan's speech and said the SDLP was catching up with its view on the Assembly's future.