Stormont crisis talks press on in hope of rescue deal

The future of Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government hung in the balance tonight as the British and Irish premiers committed themselves to lengthy talks to secure a rescue deal.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Taoiseach Brian Cowen were preparing for negotiations through the night between the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein at Hillsborough Castle, Co Down, aimed at resolving the crisis over the stalled devolution of law and order powers to the region.

The two leaders are understood to have cleared their diaries for the coming days in anticipation of intensive exchanges with the rival politicians.

They jetted into the region earlier tonight after a last-ditch attempt by Sinn Fein and the DUP to find agreement failed.

Their dramatic intervention came amid fears republicans could collapse the fragile institutions – forcing a snap assembly election – if the DUP do not agree to a swift transfer of the powers from Westminster.

While Sinn Fein tonight said they were still holding out for a firm devolution date, the DUP again insisted they required concessions on how loyal order parades were managed before they gave the go ahead for the transfer.

The region’s largest unionist party did however indicate they would be open to proposals on how to resolve the thorny parades issue.

During a break in the negotiations, Northern Ireland Secretary of State Shaun Woodward, said: ``The Prime Minister and the Taoiseach met this afternoon in Downing Street and decided that the time was right to come to Belfast and engage in intensive talks with the party leaders, with Peter Robinson and with Martin McGuinness.

“Those talks are now under way, they will continue this evening and we expect them to continue into tomorrow.

“And we stand, both governments, ready to help the parties here in their talks on policing devolution and those remaining outstanding issues.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Micheal Martin said the governments were committed to finding an agreed way forward.

“It is our intention to go through the night, and we are prepared to stay overnight to ensure that we bring these talks to a conclusion and to get the key issues agreed,” he said.

Mr Martin added: “One always has to reflect on the progress that has been made, not just over the last number of months but the last number of years.

“There are difficult issues here to resolve and no one is understating that but it is the governments’ assessment that is within the capacity of all parties to arrive at an agreement here, that these issues are capable of resolution.

“That is why the Taoiseach and the Prime Minister are here, they wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

Sinn Fein junior minister Gerry Kelly briefly emerged from the talks to underline his party's demand for a swift transfer of law and order powers.

“We are here to do the business and we are here to talk about a date for policing and justice and that’s what the discussions are about,” he said. “I cannot go into detail...”

He revealed that while his party had held discussions with the two governments it had by 10pm yet to hold direct talks with the DUP in Hillsborough.

“We are here, we are talking, we do want to get this sorted out,” he added.

DUP ministers Sammy Wilson and Arlene Foster stepped out of the castle to provide an update on negotiations and expressed hopes that a deal could be secured, though they were critical of what they described as the atmosphere of crisis that had developed.

Mr Wilson said: “As far as we are concerned this is a contrived crisis, we don’t need to be here tonight.

“There are many things I am sure most people would prefer that the Assembly would get on with the task which it already has competence over and secondly that the parties then would sit down in a responsible way and deal with the issues which are still outstanding to allow devolution of policing and justice to take place.

“That would have been a much better way to have dealt with this issue rather than the way in which Sinn Fein have tried to create this crisis here and of course the instability which is attached to that.”

He insisted however that his party was committed to finding a resolution.