Poots: More clarity in powersharing talks

There is greater certainty and clarity in efforts to resolve the North's mammoth power-sharing talks, the Democratic Unionist Party said tonight.

Work on a deal, including resolution of controversial loyal order parades, has advanced, party negotiator Edwin Poots added.

But it is unlikely there will be an agreement tonight.

This is the sixth day of discussions between the DUP and Sinn Féin and Mr Poots said the gap was narrowing.

“There is considerable advancement. What I said previously was that there would have to be certainty and clarity and there would appear to be greater certainty and clarity than was the case whenever I was speaking to you on Thursday night,” he said.

Mr Poots, environment minister in the Northern Ireland Assembly, said the talks were continuing and some matters needed to be tidied up.

He said: “We want to conclude the business but we want to conclude on the basis that it is sellable to the wider community.”

Conor Murphy, of Sinn Féin, said progress was being made and he wanted to bring matters to a "speedy conclusion".

“We are maybe getting somewhere now. We have progress made, we are hopeful that we can finish this fairly quickly,” he said.

He added: “We are getting towards the point now where negotiations will end.”

He said they were optimistic that they could “crunch down” the remaining issues.

An Taoiseach Brian Cowen and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown launched the talks on Monday following weeks of negotiations about the transfer of policing and justice powers from Westminster to Stormont.

They are the longest continuous talks of the peace process which began in 1994.

The key sticking point is a DUP demand for the abolition of the Parades Commission, which adjudicates on contentious marches, and instead leave it to an independent panel, appointed by the office of the First and Deputy First Minister, to arbitrate.

But they have also insisted they are open to alternative proposals on parades.