British Prime Minister David Cameron has warned dissident republicans that his government's commitment to Northern Ireland and the peace process was absolute.
On his first visit to Northern Ireland since taking office, the Conservative leader pledged his full support to the First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and their efforts to lead the region's power-sharing administration.
After meeting the ministers in Stormont Castle, Mr Cameron also met the leaders of the other minor parties in the power-sharing executive - the UUP, the SDLP and the Alliance Party.
Mr Cameron said cuts in Northern Ireland’s budget could be deferred to next year.
He also said a possible visit by Queen Elizabeth II to the Republic would be an excellent idea and the current context for it was good.
He confirmed he had invited Taoiseach Brian Cowen to Downing Street for talks and said they would also be meeting at the next European Council.
Mr Cameron was accompanied on his visit by the new Northern Secretary Owen Paterson.
SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie said she had raised issues such as the publication of the Saville Report, increased devolved powers for Northern Ireland and protection of the block grant.
Speaking after the meeting at Stormont House she said she had outlined to Mr Cameron once again why the report must be placed into the public domain without undue delay and that the rights of the families of the bereaved and injured are respected.
She said the grievous wrongs of Bloody Sunday were well known to the people of Derry, of the wider island and beyond.
The SDLP leader said the time for the truth to be set free has long past and the publication of the Saville Report cannot come soon enough.
She said Mr Cameron had told her the report would be published within weeks and she said the SDLP would continue to put pressure on the British establishment to ensure this is a priority.
UUP leader Reg Empey and party colleagues met Mr Cameron at Belfast City Airport before he returned to London. His party had joined with Mr Cameron's Conservatives in the UK general election but failed to win a seat in Northern Ireland.
Mr Empey said the new Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition government under Mr Cameron was determined to address the great challenges facing the country, dealing with the historic deficit which threatens to ruin economic recovery, ensuring that British forces at war in Afghanistan are properly supported, and restoring a sense of responsibility to society.
Northern Ireland will benefit from such policies, he said, and they now had a Prime Minister personally committed to promoting the union of the entire United Kingdom.
