The North's power-sharing government has been salvaged tonight after Sinn Féin agreed to resume governance with the Democratic Unionist Party.

British prime Minister Gordon Brown meets Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams today for talks to try to ensure devolution in the North does not collapse.

The Northern Ireland Assembly is to be dissolved next January to prepare for a fresh Stormont election on March 7, the Government revealed today.

Sinn Féin could back plans for the Northern Ireland Assembly to vote in future for the North’s entire power-sharing government, a senior negotiator signalled today.

The Rev Ian Paisley said he wished to build up a relationship between North and South tonight and pledged to continue working towards a political breakthrough.

Northern Ireland taxpayers could bear the brunt of a UK Treasury drive to make them pay more for public services unless devolution returns quickly, SDLP leader Mark Durkan warned today.

The main parties in the Northern Ireland Assembly should provide the First Ministers in rotation, according to a plan drawn up by the Irish Parliament Trust, an independent body set up in 1986 to seek solutions to problems in the North.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair was expected to be challenged today to name a date for a comprehensive review of the Good Friday Agreement.

Northern Ireland's non-sectarian Alliance party is expecting to redesignate three of its Assembly members as unionists in a bid to keep the province's political institutions alive.