Brokenshire to meet Stormont parties in effort to kick-start powersharing talks

Press Association

Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire is to meet the five main Stormont parties later in an effort to kick-start fresh powersharing talks.

He will hold discussions with the Ulster and the Democratic Unionists, SDLP, Alliance and Sinn Fein.

Negotiations aimed at restoring devolved government were paused over the summer.

Outstanding issues in dispute between the parties include legal protection for the Irish language.

Sinn Fein has rejected a recent DUP bid to restore the Assembly and resolve division over cultural issues.

The Democratic Unionists called for a "common sense" solution appointing Stormont ministers alongside a time-limited process for making progress on the red line issue of an Irish language act and Ulster Scots.

Republican leader Michelle O'Neill said establishing an administration that may collapse after a matter of months over the same problems would only fail the people.

She claimed DUP chief Arlene Foster's proposal to break the political talks stalemate was nothing new and had been made knowing it would be rejected.

Powersharing has been in deep freeze since early this year when the late Sinn Fein deputy first minister Mr McGuinness resigned in protest at the DUP's handling of a botched green energy scheme which risks landing the taxpayer in millions of pounds of debt.

Talks have been led by the British and Irish governments but with no breakthrough some prominent DUP MPs are warning a return to direct rule from Westminster could be looming.

Sinn Fein claims the DUP has failed to embrace principles like equality and respect.

Democratic Unionists argue that any deal should not be one-sided and devolution should be immediately restored to protect faltering health and education systems.