BY ADRIAN MULLAN

a.mullan@ulsterrherald.com

THE Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, will be in Omagh tomorrow (Friday) to meet with councillors and MLAs following an invitation from West Tyrone, MP Pat Doherty to Mr Ahern to use his influence to ensure that Lisanelly Camp and St Lucia Barracks pass to the local community.

Additionally, Mr Ahern is expected to focus on the future development of the North West region and consider ways in which improvements in North/South co-operation can benefit the gateway of Derry and Donegal and the surrounding region.

In a letter to Mr Ahern, the West Tyrone MP sought his assistance in requiring the British government to honour the terms of an agreement in 2003, wherein it was agreed that all military and police bases no longer being used by the ministry of Defence would pass to the local communities from which they were vested.

Mr Ahern will travel to Omagh from Derry where he will address a lunch hosted by the Chamber of Commerce and meet with local business and civic leaders, as well as political leaders from all parties in Derry.

He will then attend a civic reception hosted by the Lord Mayor of Derry, Drew Thompson, in the city's Guildhall.

In the course of that exercise, he will visit local tourist and cultural attractions and will call to the Foyle Hospice, a highly respected local institution that has given great service to communities on both sides of the border.