US urges politicians here to break deadlock at Stormont

By David Young PA

The United States has urged Northern Ireland's two major political parties to reach an agreement for a power-sharing government.

Talks between Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party broke down on Tuesday.

The US State Department says it regrets that - and is asking both sides to continue their discussions.

The Stormont deadlock is set to remain during the summer, as talks to restore the institutions have been scaled down amid widespread acknowledgement a deal before the autumn is unlikely.

While no formal suspension of the talks process has been called by the UK Government, and the main parties have signalled a willingness to continue some form of engagement over the coming weeks, substantive negotiations are not expected to resume in the short term.

Sinn Fein has blamed the failure to settle their differences on the DUP's parliamentary deal with the Prime Minister.

However, the DUP has claimed Sinn Fein's "excessive shopping list" of demands is preventing the formation of a new executive.

Sticking points include the shape of legislation to protect Irish language speakers, the DUP's opposition to lifting the region's ban on same-sex marriage, and mechanisms to deal with the legacy of the Troubles.

The devolved institutions imploded in January when Mrs Foster was forced from office after Sinn Fein's then deputy first minister, the late Martin McGuinness, quit.

That was in protest at the DUP's handling of the renewable heat incentive (RHI), a botched scheme that left the administration facing a £490 million overspend.

Mr McGuinness's move triggered March's snap Assembly poll and subsequent months of faltering negotiations to restore a devolved government.