roadmap

In his speech, Reed had also outlined plans for a 25-year farming roadmap and food strategy, which would put food production at its core and make farm businesses more resilient to challenges such as severe flooding, drought and animal disease.

Reshaping the hospital network has been debated for decades, but Health Minister Mike Nesbitt insisted this was the first roadmap aimed at a clear path to recovery for services.

It is clear however, that the ambitions for re-establishing the kind of close relationship that Europe and the US have had since the end of World War Two are not on anyone's roadmap.

Following a crushing electoral defeat in 2008, in which Democrats captured the House, the Senate and the Oval Office, then-66-year-old Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell drew out a roadmap for his GOP colleagues.

"This is promising progress after more than a decade of challenges, and the next few years will see whether this exciting roadmap pans out," he said.