Northern Ireland’s political parties owe it to themselves to collectively create a normal society, the leader of the SDLP, Mark Durkan argued tonight.

Further work needs to be done in implementing the Good Friday Agreement and building on the partnership politics it has forged in Northern Ireland, nationalist SDLP leader Mark Durkan claimed tonight.

Republicans must begin discussions aimed at bringing about a united Ireland with unionists and other political opponents, Sinn Fein national chairman Mitchel McLaughlin said today.