Democratic Unionist Party on The Independent

Eyes of the world on Ulster

Friday 10 April 1998

British and Irish governments in last minute search for final elements to seal historic peace agreement

THURSDAY 9 April, the day the Commons rises for the Easter recess, is the deadline for the conclusion to the Northern Ireland peace process. When the talking stops, there must be an agreement covering four critical areas:

Ulster row over media manipulation

Saturday 28 March 1998

THE Northern Ireland Office yesterday found itself mired in an embarrassing controversy centring on a leaked government document which, critics charged, planned underhand manipulation of the media.

Vote fraud crackdown in Ulster

Tuesday 24 March 1998

VOTERS should be given ID "swipe cards" before being allowed to vote to stop widespread fraud at the polls in Northern Ireland, an all-party group of MPs said last night.

Loyalists in Ulster clash

Friday 20 March 1998

POLICE in riot gear were called to an Orange hall in Northern Ireland last night after rival Unionist leaders confronted each other at a rally.

RUC urged to speed up reforms

Thursday 05 February 1998

The Royal Ulster Constabulary was last night accused of dragging its heels over reform for the peace process.

Sinn Fein rejects talks plan

Sunday 18 January 1998

SINN FEIN dramatically raised the stakes in the Northern Ireland peace process yesterday by formally rejecting Tony Blair's blueprint for a constitutional settlement. Martin McGuinness, the party's chief negotiator, insisted that it would stay in the talks, but only to oppose the Government's initiative.

Politics: Anger greets Ulster march proposal

Saturday 18 October 1997

The Government wants to avoid a recurrence of highly disruptive annual loyalist parades, such as the Drumcree march. David McKittrick, Ireland Correspondent, outlines both the new legislation announced yesterday and the criticisms which greeted it.

Mowlam talks with Paisley

Thursday 16 October 1997

Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam had talks with DUP leader Ian Paisley last night as part of her efforts to maintain the momentum of the Stormont peace process.

Unionists set to reject terms for peace talks

Wednesday 23 July 1997

Amid signs of divided opinions within the Protestant population, the three main Unionist parties are today expected to reject the terms for wide-ranging talks laid down by the British and Irish governments.

Loyalists welcome Blair assurances

Wednesday 16 July 1997

Loyalists last night gave a "positive response" to Tony Blair at a meeting in Downing Street after he urged them to use their influence with Loyalist paramilitaries not to break their ceasefire in Northern Ireland.

Don't force marches through, says Ahern

Wednesday 02 July 1997

The tension surrounding this weekend's highly charged Orange parade at Drumcree increased yesterday when the new Irish premier, Bertie Ahern, urged the Government not to force the march through.

Ahern in quest for vital party backing

Tuesday 10 June 1997

Horse-trading between Ireland's incoming minority government and independent TDs (MPs) will begin today in the aftermath of the general election which left Bertie Ahern's Fianna Fail and their Progressive Democrat allies three seats short of a majority in the Dail.

Ulster TV's modest series may begin to change northerners' perception of the southern Irish

Monday 26 May 1997

Something remarkable is happening on Ulster's television screens. UTV, the commercial station that serves the strife-torn province, has sent a camera crew and a Protestant clergyman south of the border to produce six half-hour documentaries about the Republic of Ireland.