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Stormont crisis: Theresa Villiers to call for fresh NI talks Stormont crisis: Theresa Villiers to call for fresh NI talks
(35 minutes later)
The government hopes to reconvene cross-party talks next week as the crisis within Northern Ireland's power-sharing executive deepens.The government hopes to reconvene cross-party talks next week as the crisis within Northern Ireland's power-sharing executive deepens.
It comes after Democratic Unionist leader Peter Robinson stood aside and his other party ministers, except one, resigned from the executive.It comes after Democratic Unionist leader Peter Robinson stood aside and his other party ministers, except one, resigned from the executive.
The latest crisis followed a police analysis that IRA members were involved in the murder of a former IRA man.The latest crisis followed a police analysis that IRA members were involved in the murder of a former IRA man.
Three senior republicans were arrested this week and subsequently released.Three senior republicans were arrested this week and subsequently released.
Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said the issue of paramilitaries would be high on the agenda during Monday's talks. Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said the current political situation was "very serious", but could be "retrieved".
She said the current political situation was "very serious", but could be "retrieved".
"Both the two issues on the agenda, the questions around paramilitaries and the implementation of the Stormont House Agreement are both crucial," she said."Both the two issues on the agenda, the questions around paramilitaries and the implementation of the Stormont House Agreement are both crucial," she said.
Outstanding issuesOutstanding issues
"The issues around paramilitaries will be very high on the agenda on Monday and on that basis I would urge the Ulster Unionists to attend and indeed all the other parties.""The issues around paramilitaries will be very high on the agenda on Monday and on that basis I would urge the Ulster Unionists to attend and indeed all the other parties."
Ms Villiers also said she wished the DUP had been able to find a "different way" to deal with the political crisis.Ms Villiers also said she wished the DUP had been able to find a "different way" to deal with the political crisis.
Northern Ireland Executive crisis: Q&ANorthern Ireland Executive crisis: Q&A
For months the power-sharing executive at Stormont has been deadlocked over budgetary matters.For months the power-sharing executive at Stormont has been deadlocked over budgetary matters.
Underlying this disagreement was Sinn Féin's refusal to implement welfare reforms introduced elsewhere in the UK.Underlying this disagreement was Sinn Féin's refusal to implement welfare reforms introduced elsewhere in the UK.
However, the political crisis deepened last month after the police said current IRA members could have been involved in the murder of Belfast man, Kevin McGuigan.However, the political crisis deepened last month after the police said current IRA members could have been involved in the murder of Belfast man, Kevin McGuigan.
Unionists argued that if the IRA remains active, Sinn Féin should be excluded from ministerial office.Unionists argued that if the IRA remains active, Sinn Féin should be excluded from ministerial office.
A fresh round of talks to address the issue of paramilitaries and outstanding issues around welfare and Northern Ireland's budget began on Tuesday.A fresh round of talks to address the issue of paramilitaries and outstanding issues around welfare and Northern Ireland's budget began on Tuesday.
However, they broke down after it was revealed that Sinn Féin's northern chairman, Bobby Storey, was one of three republicans arrested in connection with the murder of ex-IRA man Kevin McGuigan Snr last month.However, they broke down after it was revealed that Sinn Féin's northern chairman, Bobby Storey, was one of three republicans arrested in connection with the murder of ex-IRA man Kevin McGuigan Snr last month.
All three were released unconditionally on Thursday. A fourth person, a 50-year-old woman was also arrested and then released.All three were released unconditionally on Thursday. A fourth person, a 50-year-old woman was also arrested and then released.
Following the arrests, DUP leader and First Minister Peter Robinson said his ministers would quit if the assembly was not adjourned or suspended.Following the arrests, DUP leader and First Minister Peter Robinson said his ministers would quit if the assembly was not adjourned or suspended.
Mr Robinson stepped aside on Thursday after his party failed to get enough support to adjourn the assembly.Mr Robinson stepped aside on Thursday after his party failed to get enough support to adjourn the assembly.
The party's Finance Minister, Arlene Foster, now the only remaining DUP minister, has taken over as acting first minister.The party's Finance Minister, Arlene Foster, now the only remaining DUP minister, has taken over as acting first minister.
'Strategy''Strategy'
"Peter Robinson had stepped aside to concentrate on leading the party delegation in the talks and he has left me there as a gate keeper and to act as first minister in his absence from that job," she said."Peter Robinson had stepped aside to concentrate on leading the party delegation in the talks and he has left me there as a gate keeper and to act as first minister in his absence from that job," she said.
"Paramilitary activity has to be dealt with in a comprehensive way. Our party leader has a strategy and a plan to put forward to those talks in relation to those issues."
The political institutions were under pressure due to a row over welfare reform, but matters escalated following the Belfast murder and a police assessment that former IRA members may have been involved in the killing.
But Chief Constable George Hamilton added that there was no evidence at that stage that the murder was sanctioned by the IRA, which he said was committed to politics and not engaged in terrorism.But Chief Constable George Hamilton added that there was no evidence at that stage that the murder was sanctioned by the IRA, which he said was committed to politics and not engaged in terrorism.
Sinn Féin's leadership has insisted that the IRA no longer exists.Sinn Féin's leadership has insisted that the IRA no longer exists.
Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said his party had "repudiated those who killed Kevin McGuigan and Jock Davison".
"The mistake that has been made is that what is a matter for the police has been brought into the political institutions," he said.
Following the police assessment, the Ulster Unionist Party withdrew from the Northern Ireland Executive.Following the police assessment, the Ulster Unionist Party withdrew from the Northern Ireland Executive.
'Credible option' Adjournment vs suspension
The political difference between adjournment and suspension is that adjournment would be a voluntary decision by the parties of the assembly and therefore that would not necessarily be as big a deal as suspension.
In that scenario, the secretary of state would be in control of the institutions and she would decide how long it would go on and when the assembly might come back.
In the event of an adjournment, the DUP, Sinn Féin and indeed the other ministers who are still in office, would continue in their jobs.
A suspension would mean not just the assembly, but also the executive and the ministers.
The party said it would engage in talks only if the issue of the IRA was the first item to be dealt with.The party said it would engage in talks only if the issue of the IRA was the first item to be dealt with.
The monitoring of paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland was conducted by the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) up until 2011.The monitoring of paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland was conducted by the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) up until 2011.
Ms Villiers said re-instigating an independent authority to look at decommissioning command structures was a "credible" option.Ms Villiers said re-instigating an independent authority to look at decommissioning command structures was a "credible" option.
"I think it wouldn't necessarily be appropriate to set up exactly the same structure that existed in the past and certainly one would need to ask it a different question. In the past the question was just about decommissioning and ceasefires," she said."I think it wouldn't necessarily be appropriate to set up exactly the same structure that existed in the past and certainly one would need to ask it a different question. In the past the question was just about decommissioning and ceasefires," she said.
"I think now it is very clear we want to see these paramilitary organisations disband altogether. We also want to investigate the role of members of these organisations in relation to criminality.""I think now it is very clear we want to see these paramilitary organisations disband altogether. We also want to investigate the role of members of these organisations in relation to criminality."