Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
NO NEARER TO DEAL AS TALKS FAIL AGAIN
Sinn Fein & DUP can’t reach Stormont accord
TALKS between the DUP and Sinn Fein broke up again last night without agreement.
Secretary of State James Brokenshire is expected to update MPS today about the ongoing crisis and its increasingly likely he will legislate for a budget at Westminster.
While the parties are planning to resume talks this morning, Sinn Fein said it was not prepared to accept a deal to save Stormont at “any price”.
Negotiator Conor Murphy MLA insisted the party stands firm over the issue of rights for all citizens including the Irish Language Act, legacy and gay marriage.
Referring to the SDLP he said: “The people who are criticising us for standing firm need to explain what they mean by get a deal at any price.
“For our part in Sinn Fein we are here engaged, not on party political interests but actually on issues that are rights for people who support us and for many, many people who don’t support us.” Mr Murphy also said if Mr Brokenshire decides to legislate for a budget at Westminster, “this phase of the talks process is over”. He also admitted there is a “credibility issue” the longer the talks drag on.
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney and Mr Brokenshire arrived back at Stormont on Tuesday in a bid to help break the political deadlock.
They said progress was made on Monday between the DUP and Sinn Fein during talks aimed at restoring powersharing.
Both men and the parties arrived back at Stormont on Tuesday morning to resume discussions after a late night of negotiations.
Mr Coveney tweeted “everyone (is) working hard to get a deal”. Mr Brokenshire had extended the deadline for the parties to reach agreement by last night.
He warned them they had until Monday to produce a written agreement or he would be forced to legislate for a budget.
That deadline was extended but failed to deliver a breakthrough.