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The Taoiseach has expressed determination to secure a deal to restore power-sharing in Northern Ireland.<\/p>\nThe Taoiseach has expressed determination to secure a deal to restore power-sharing in Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n
Leo Varadkar said it was important that any new executive formed in Belfast was inclusive, and included the three smaller parties, as well as the DUP and Sinn F\u00e9in.<\/p>\n
The UK and Irish governments have singled out the DUP as the party standing in the way of a pre-Christmas deal.<\/p>\n
The region\u2019s largest unionist party has said it will not be \u201cbounced\u201d into a \u201cquick fix\u201d accord that falls apart when tested.<\/p>\n
There is now no expectation of the talks process restarting this side of Christmas.<\/p>\n
Mr Varadkar said: \u201cAs far as the governments are concerned, we\u2019re really determined to do everything that we can to get the parties together and have an inclusive administration in Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has to involve the DUP and Sinn F\u00e9in of course as the biggest two parties.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we want to have the other parties involved too \u2013 the SDLP, Alliance, which did very well in recent elections, and also the UUP, so we\u2019re going to work as hard as we can over the next couple of weeks to get that done.\u201d<\/p>\n
Proposals to reform a contentious cross-community voting mechanism in the Assembly represents a key sticking point in the negotiations, with the DUP unhappy about what is being countenanced.<\/p>\n
The DUP is also seeking changes to ensure the devolved parliament is more stable in future and cannot be readily pulled down.<\/p>\n
Proposed legislative protections for Irish language speakers are also a crucial element of the negotiation process.<\/p>\n
After talks broke up on Thursday night with the DUP being singled out as the barrier to agreement, Secretary of State Julian Smith held talks with party representatives in London on Friday morning in an attempt to navigate a way forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am confident that we can move things forward,\u201d he tweeted afterwards.<\/p>\n
DUP MP Sammy Wilson was among those who met Mr Smith.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cWe wanted to move forward and have as quick an outcome to these talks as possible but we will not be simply accepting any kind of deal just to satisfy his desire to have the Assembly up and running.\u201d<\/p>\n
He told the BBC\u2019s Radio Ulster he did not want the process to drag on.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cWe are not prepared to go for a quick fix which then falls apart at some point in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
The DUP has insisted any deal must be \u201cfair and balanced\u201d.<\/p>\n
The petition of concern voting mechanism was designed to protect minority rights in the Stormont institutions but politicians have accused each other of misusing it for their own ends.<\/p>\n
Discussions around change surround making it more difficult for one party to use the petition to block controversial legislation.<\/p>\n
The parties are also considering amending Assembly rules to make it harder to collapse the institutions.<\/p>\n
The late Sinn F\u00e9in deputy first minister Martin McGuinness\u2019 resignation in protest at the DUP\u2019s handling of a green energy scheme ended power-sharing in 2017; lengthy negotiations have failed to produce a resurrection.<\/p>\n
Extra money for the region\u2019s crisis-hit health system and other projects is on offer from the UK Government if a deal can be struck.<\/p>\n
The DUP has said it has not seen the details of any financial offer.<\/p>\n
On Friday, Sinn F\u00e9in president Mary-Lou McDonald said nobody was expected to sign up to a blank check but it was in everyone\u2019s interests to make progress.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow is the time of truth, we need to get the institutions of government back up and running,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The republican leader added: \u201cWe want every party to step up to that ground with us and recognize that at a time of acute political challenges, at a time when clearly in particular our health services are under considerable strain, there is now a duty and obligation for people to lead.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is about leadership. This is about creating a deal that recognizes people\u2019s rights and allows us to get the institutions back up and running.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cThere comes a moment when political parties and political leaders have to lead and that is the moment we are at now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Wilson said it was strange the UK Government had been unwilling to blame Sinn F\u00e9in for its role in the crisis but suddenly Mr Smith was \u201cpointing the finger\u201d at the DUP.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf he had a rush of blood to the head yesterday hopefully now he is going to go back to being impartial on these issues,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The Government has imposed a deadline of next month for agreement or fresh Assembly elections could be called.<\/p>\n