Deadline to restore Stormont extended
Continued impasse may result in snap election
THE UK Government has announced negotiations to restore power-sharing in Northern Ireland will be allowed to extend until Monday, despite Stormont parties missing yesterday’s 4pm deadline to reach agreement.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said the passing of the deadline ‘does not mean the efforts to restore the executive are ending’.
‘We are now allowing the parties space to continue the discussions,’ she said.
Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire will make a statement to the House of Commons on Monday outlining Theresa May’s government’s intentions. In the absence of agreement, the options open to Mr Brokenshire include setting Space: James Brokenshire another deadline for the talks process; calling a second snap Assembly election; or reimposing some form of direct rule from London.
If a deal was to materialise over the weekend, the British government could pass legislation to retrospectively change yesterday’s missed deadline to enable a new executive to be formed without recourse to another election.
The DUP and Sinn Féin have accused each other of refusing to give ground on key issues.
Despite a pessimistic mood at Stormont, the Downing Street spokeswoman insisted ‘very good progress’ had been made in the talks. ‘We believe a resolution can be found and we are urging the parties to continue focusing their efforts on achieving it,’ she said.
A crucial sticking point in the way of a deal appears to be Sinn Féin’s demand for an Irish Language Act, which would give official protections to Irish speakers. The DUP is willing to legislate on the language issue, but only if Ulster Scots speakers are included in any Act, a condition Sinn Féin has rejected.
The 4pm deadline to nominate ministers to a coalition executive passed, with both parties still blaming each other for the impasse. It was the fourth deadline since the institutions collapsed earlier this year.
Senior DUP negotiator Edwin Poots said if a deal did not materialise in the near future, he would prefer direct rule ministers to take over running Stormont departments.
‘The talks are continuing – obviously there is not going to be a breakthrough that would lead to nominations taking place today,’ he said. ‘The talks will continue. Sinn Féin know what they need to do.’
However, Sinn Féin insisted the DUP had to move, claiming it was ‘make up your mind time’ for the unionists.
Sinn Féin’s Conor Murphy said ‘limited progress’ had been made to bridge the gaps.
‘In our view, it’s now make up your mind time for the DUP,’ he said. Speaking at talks venue, Stormont Castle earlier, Mr Brokenshire and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney insisted a deal was ‘possible and achievable’.