The cross-border Forum for Peace and Reconciliation is to be reconvened by the Irish Government in an attempt to restore confidence in the political process.

The decision, announced by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern on Friday, is intended to lead to a "general stock-taking and review of the political situation in regard to Northern Ireland".

The process is in crisis since the province's institutions were suspended on 14 October following a row over allegations of IRA activity, including alleged spying at the Northern Ireland Office.

The two governments are to hold all-party talks next week in an effort to find a way out of the current crisis.

The forum in 1994 was a useful platform to meet and discuss the key issues on an all-Ireland basis

Mitchel McLaughlin Sinn Fein

The peace forum was established in 1994 by former taoiseach Albert Reynolds and met on a regular basis at Dublin Castle until 1996, when the IRA bombing of Canary Wharf in London brought their ceasefire to an end.

The forum assembled again after the restoration of the IRA ceasefire in 1997, but did not meet after that with priority given to all-party talks leading up to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

The organisation was never formally dissolved, and the Irish Government has made financial provision for it annually on the basis that future meetings might be useful in helping advance the peace process.

Mr Ahern said the plan was complementary to other activity to promote the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.

'Useful'

Maurice Hayes will chair the forum, after the departure of Judge Catherine McGuinness who has been appointed to the Irish Supreme Court.

Mr Hayes, who was born in Northern Ireland, is a member of the upper house of the Irish Republic's parliament.

The first meeting of the restored forum will go ahead in Dublin Castle on 27 November.

The development was welcomed by Sinn Fein but party chairman Mitchel McLaughlin warned that it was not a substitute for all-party talks also involving the British and Irish Governments.

"The forum in 1994 was a useful platform to meet and discuss the key issues on an all-Ireland basis," he said.

"It may prove useful now.

"However, the problem in 2002 is that we have an agreement which has not been implemented, and which unionism has sought to frustrate at every opportunity.

"The focus for us all has to be the implementation of the Agreement and the restoration of the political institutions. Sinn Fein will do our best in the time ahead to achieve these goals."