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Irish PM addresses UK parliament | |
(about 6 hours later) | |
Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern have addressed an joint session of parliamentarians at Westminster. | |
Mr Ahern reflected on the Northern Ireland political process and the change in relations between the Republic of Ireland and the UK. | |
All members of parliament - both the Lords and the Commons - were invited. | |
Senior figures from the Irish government and Irish opposition leaders were also present. | |
Prominent Irish community members in Britain were also been invited to attend. | |
Mr Blair also gave a speech, as did the speaker of the House of Commons, and the speaker of the House of Lords, who were jointly hosting the event. | |
Mr Ahern was following in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela, Francois Mitterand, the Dalai Lama and Bill Clinton - some of the famous names who have made addresses to the joint houses of parliament in the past. |