MAY AND VARADKAR ARE HOPEFUL OF STORMONT DEAL

BOTH Leo Varadkar and Theresa May expressed hope yesterday a power-sharing deal could be reached at Stormont.

But while the Taoiseach held talks with the British prime minister and most Northern parties, he notably he did not have a meeting with the Democratic Unionists.

He expressed hope that Stormont’s smaller parties – the UUP, SDLP and Alliance – could be part of a new coalition Executive. ‘It is our strong view that an inclusive Executive including as many parties as possible would be more sustainable and more beneficial for Northern Ireland as a whole,’ he said.

Relations have been strained between the DUP and Mr Varadkar over the Brexit process, but Tánaiste Simon Coveney urged people not to ‘read too much’ into the fact that the main unionist party did not meet the Taoiseach at Stormont yesterday.

After holding talks with the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Féin in Belfast, Mrs May called for one final push from Northern parties and insisted there was the basis of an agreement to end the 400-day impasse and she expressed confidence a devolved executive would be ‘up and running very soon’.

Mr Varadkar said he hoped a deal could be achieved later this week.

DUP leader Arlene Foster said the tone of her meeting with Mrs May was positive, while Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said she believed an agreement was ‘close’.