North has just ‘weeks’ to restore Stormont

Governments warn parties over talks stalemate

A FRESH round of talks to restore powersharing in the North must find a solution in ‘weeks rather than months’, party leaders have been warned.

Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney confirmed at Stormont that fresh negotiations will begin next Wednesday.

Ms Bradley said there were still ‘significant difficulties to overcome’ but that she believed a resolution is possible.

Mr Coveney warned that a deal must be secured in ‘weeks rather than months’.

Failure to make ‘rapid progress’ will mean the UK government will face significant decisions, including setting a budget, Ms Bradley said. MLA pay and a fresh election, and ‘ultimately other arrangements’, would also be looked at, she warned.

Ms Bradley said the need for a Pressure: Simon Coveney solution was ‘urgent’ and that the political consequences of failing to reach a deal would present a ‘significant setback to the progress’ made since the Good Friday Agreement.

‘A short, intense set of political talks to restore the executive’ will begin on Wednesday. Based on my conversations so far, I believe it is possible to reach agreement,’ Ms Bradley said, adding that she was ‘not thinking’ about the talks failing.

‘Progress must be swift. It is clear that Northern Ireland needs strong devolved government and political leadership,’ she said. Ms Bradley said she will be updating the British parliament on the talks ‘no later than February 7’.

Meanwhile, Mr Coveney said all parties were ‘conscious’ of the time pressures. ‘I think we are talking about weeks rather than months here,’ he said.

DUP Assembly member Simon Hamilton welcomed the announcement of fresh talks.

‘The DUP did not walk away from the last round of talks so we welcome Sinn Féin’s reengagement,’ he said.

‘I think it is now incumbent on all of us to get round the table and build on the progress that has been made to date.’

With the North having no local ministers to agree a budget for the next financial year, the UK government will face increased pressure to reintroduce a form of Westminster direct rule if the latest talks bid fails.

Ms Bradley characterised the talks as the ‘last opportunity’ to find a resolution.

Meanwhile, DUP MP Sammy Wilson has said he regrets calling Leo Varadkar a ‘nutcase’ over his Brexit stance.

He previously told politico.eu: ‘It was always our view... that the biggest ally we would have when it came to negotiating with the EU was Dublin, and that always was the impression we got when Enda Kenny was in power, but since this nutcase Varadkar has taken over things have all changed.’

However, he yesterday told the Belfast Telegraph he regretted his choice of language.

When questioned about Mr Wilson’s remarks yesterday, Tánaiste Mr Coveney said he had no comment to make.

‘Possible to reach agreement’