Cowen cancels Meath visit as Belfast talks continue

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has cancelled part of his scheduled visit to Meath today (Friday) due to the ongoing discussions on the political situation in Northern Ireland. Mr Cowen and British prime minister Gordon Browne spent three days in Belfast earlier this week and left on Wednesday, giving the parties a deadline of today (Friday) to come to agreement on issues, predominantly policing and the Parades Commission. Mr Cowen was due to visit Clonmellon, to turn a sod on the new national school development, visit Tara Mines in Navan and meet business people in Trim. It is hoped he will still make a Fianna Fail party function in Navan tonight. Meanwhile, President Mary McAleese was in Meath this week when she opened the new Pastoral Centre and the First Steps Childcare Centre in Dunshaughlin, where she had lived for many years from 1977. In Dunshaughlin, Kathryn Delany, chairperson of the Pastoral Council, paid tribute to the work of President McAleese and her husband Martin on bringing about reconciliation in Northern Ireland, and hoped that the talks in Belfast this week would be successful.