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BBC Ireland Correspondent Denis Murray: "Unique high-point in Anglo-Irish relations"

Mr Blair, who will be the first British prime minister to address both houses of the Dail since Dublin declared independence in 1922, has also offered hope of Ireland rejoining the Commonwealth.

He mentioned the commonwealth would be an unexpected topic for discussion when he meets Ireland's Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, on Thursday.

Ireland left the commonwealth after declaring independence but Mr Ahern says members of his Fianna Fail party have already raised the possibility of rejoining.

Such a move is likely to be welcomed by unionists but may spark suspicion among nationalists.

Historic occasion

Mr Blair will become the first British politician to be afforded the honour of addressing the Irish parliament since 1922 and will follow a long line of heads of state, including John F Kennedy and Nelson Mandela.

The UK prime minister, speaking after a day of talks with all parties at Stormont, said he was confident cross-border bodies and a shadow executive would be up and running in time for the handover of power in February 1999.

"I hope that over the next few days some proper signs of that progress will be shown," Mr Blair said.

Public frustrated at lack of progress

Optimism was also voiced, although cautiously, by David Trimble, the Northern Ireland First Minister.

He said he too envisaged a complete transfer of power from London to Belfast early in the New Year.

"I can see that happening and the obstacles being resolved," he said.

But there was an apparent rift between Mr Trimble and his Deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon, who continued to warn that the peace agreement was in danger of unravelling.

"I think it is right to have a sense of urgency," said Mr Mallon. "It's right to draw attention to the fact that inertia cannot be allowed to set in."

No sign of breakthrough

Mr Blair, who spent nearly 10 hours at Stormont, said he believed all parties wanted the agreement to work.

But he warned that the public was becoming frustrated with the lack of progress.

"I'm almost absolutely sure that the public out there simply want us to get on with it. They are frustrated with the lack of progress and they want progress to be made.

Deadlock over decommissioning remains

"I'm going to do everything I can to push it on and keep the momentum going. I'm going to keep on this very hard indeed."

There was, however, no sign of a breakthrough following the talks.

According to David Trimble's Ulster Unionists there had been substantial progress on cross border bodies, but Mr Mallon insisted "nothing has been agreed".

Decommissioning remains an obstacle

The impasse on decommissioning remained the single biggest obstacle to progress, with Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionists stepping up demands for prisoner releases to be halted.

Mr Paisley said he told the prime minister the patience of the unionist population was running out.

He said: "The unionist people are not going to tolerate any gangsters and murdering thugs in the government of Northern Ireland.

"We made it clear to the prime minister if you think are going to be able to force the electorate into that, you've got another thing coming because the people have had enough."

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams, who also held talks with the prime minister, accused unionists of holding up progress with "childish antics" and blatant stalling tactics.

"People are reluctant to use the word crisis, but clearly if this drift is allowed to continue and if the only institution to arise is a shadow assembly at Stormont with two ministers, then the position just becomes untenable.