Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire has said he does not intend to appoint ministers to take political control at Stormont as he moved budget measures with the "utmost reluctance".

James Brokenshire last night said there is still time to save powersharing in Stormont.

James Brokenshire has said there is still time to save powersharing in Stormont.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has warned that Northern Ireland is “sliding towards” direct rule from Britain after the collapse of talks between Sinn Féin and the DUP about forming a government.

Victims of historical child abuse have urged Northern Ireland's politicians to release compensation which has been blocked due to Stormont's collapse, as talks aimed at restoring powersharing enter their final hours.

Latest: Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin has called on the Taoiseach and British Prime Minister to both personally intervene to advance the stalled talks in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland's politicians have just hours left to reach a deal to restore powersharing at Stormont otherwise the UK Government will press ahead with legislation to approve a budget.

A Westminster debate on emergency Northern Ireland legislation could be held on Monday.

The British Government is "working tirelessly" to safeguard Bombardier's operations and its highly skilled workforce in Belfast, the Northern Ireland Secretary has said.

Powersharing negotiations will require more than "nice words" to restore the Stormont Executive, Michelle O'Neill has warned.

The British Government has said there can be no joint authority over Northern Ireland.

Financial pressure on the North’s health service could force the UK Government to step in if political powersharing cannot be resurrected soon, James Brokenshire has warned.

Latest: Financial pressure on Northern Ireland's health service could force the UK Government to step in if political powersharing cannot be resurrected soon, James Brokenshire has warned.

The UK Government has said talks to restore powersharing in Northern Ireland remain a priority, despite scepticism from a senior Democratic Unionist that they are a "waste of time".

Fresh attempts will be made next week to break the deadlock over a resumption of power-sharing in the North ahead of the border issue moving front and centre of Brexit talks in the weeks ahead.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has insisted Ireland will not be used as a “Trojan horse” by Britain during Brexit bargaining but said time is running out for a deal on the border issue.

The Irish government has warned UK authorities it will not be used as a "pawn" in Brexit negotiations.

The UK Government has insisted there is no possibility of remaining within a customs union post-Brexit.

The Northern Ireland secretary insists the government wants 'no change' in how people cross the Irish border. Northen Ireland secretary insists government wants 'no change' to Irish border

Northern Ireland's powersharing crisis is set to drift on through the summer as talks were scaled down amid widespread acknowledgement a deal before the autumn is unlikely.

The Northern Ireland Secretary has given Stormont’s divided politicians more time to clinch a deal.

Future donations to political parties in Northern Ireland are to be published, the British Government has announced.

The Northern Ireland Secretary has given Stormont's divided politicians more time to clinch a deal.

Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire will make a statement to the House of Commons outlining the British Government’s intentions, with no agreement likely ahead of today’s deadline.

The Democratic Unionists have ridiculed a Sinn Féin call for Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and British Prime Minister Theresa May to intervene in Stormont's crisis talks.

Negotiations to salvage powersharing in Northern Ireland are set to continue as parties mount a last-ditch effort to strike a deal ahead of Thursday's deadline.

Theresa May is to hold talks with the Northern Ireland political parties amid warnings an expected deal with the DUP to prop up her minority government will undermine the peace process.

Incoming Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has warned the British government not to get “too close” to the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) amid fears that the make-shift Westminster coalition could put the Good Friday Agreement at risk.

Sinn Féin and other Stormont parties have insisted Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire could not chair the efforts to restore powersharing.

Detectives believe that there may have been more than 100 witnesses to the shooting and the aftermath.

Formal talks to restore Northern Ireland powersharing have been paused until after the British General Election.

The DUP and Sinn Fein are at loggerheads over who to blame for public spending cuts in the North

The new deadline for forming a powersharing government in Northern Ireland is June 29.

The Irish Government must make clear to the UK government that direct rule is not an option if talks to restore powersharing in Northern Ireland fail, Gerry Adams has warned.

The DUP has accused Sinn Féin of not being serious about wanting to reach an agreement to restore the Stormont government.

The UK Government will not allow political talks to restore powersharing in the North to drift past Easter, Secretary of State James Brokenshire has warned.

Northern Ireland Secretary of State James Brokenshire has cancelled his trip to Washington to concentrate on critical talks to save powersharing at Stormont.

Sinn Féin have blasted Northern Ireland Secretary of State James Brokenshire for delivering nothing but "waffle, waffle, waffle" to the Stormont crisis talks.

British Prime Minister Theresa May and Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire are "part of the problem" at Stormont, Gerry Adams has said.

Counting has begun today in the snap election for Northern Ireland's devolved institutions.

Update: Northern Ireland's political leaders have cast their ballots in the region's snap election.

The Foreign Affairs Minister is to meet with the Northern Irish Secretary of State this afternoon.

There are only a few months left for World Rugby to ponder its options when it comes to the 2023 tournament, writes Michael Moynihan.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s hopes and British Prime Minister Theresa May’s promise to maintain a seamless and friction free Irish border is unenforceable, it has been claimed.