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Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness in 'put up or shut up' call Stormont crisis: Theresa Villiers says talks process 'focused and productive'
(about 4 hours later)
If anyone has evidence linking Sinn Féin to criminality, they should go the police, Martin McGuinness has said. Northern Ireland's main political parties had a day of "focused and productive" talks in a bid to solve the ongoing crisis at Stormont, the Northern Ireland secretary has said.
Round-table discussions have begun over the issues of over paramilitary activity and welfare reform.
Theresa Villiers said all parties had "committed themselves" to the talks.
The political crisis was sparked by the murder of ex-IRA man Kevin McGuigan Sr last month.
Northern Ireland's police chief said members of the IRA had been involved in the killing and that the organisation was still in existence.
The resulting row led the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) to withdraw from Northern Ireland's ruling executive.
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Peter Robinson later stepped aside as first minister, with three of his party's ministers also resigning.
Proposals
The two parties committed last week to joining cross-party talks after the government commissioned an independent assessment of paramilitary organisations in Northern Ireland.
Unionists said the issue of continued paramilitary activity was crucial to their involvement in the discussions.
Mr Robinson, who joined Monday's talks after being discharged from hospital, said his party had six key proposals to bring to the table.
One of those would be the establishment of a "permanent" structure to examine paramilitary activity.
He said that body would be able to impose sanctions "to anybody who breaches" its terms.
Ms Villiers said Tuesday's talks would concentrate on finance and welfare issues.
"Implementing these aspects of the Stormont House Agreement is essential if the executive is to have a workable and sustainable budget," she added.
Mischievous
During a break from Monday's talks, Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness said anyone with evidence linking his party to criminality should go the police.
In a strongly worded message, the deputy first minister said: "It is now time to put up or shut up."In a strongly worded message, the deputy first minister said: "It is now time to put up or shut up."
He was speaking as Northern Ireland's five main parties took part in cross-party talks at Stormont on Monday. He accused some of the other parties of being "mischievous" by suggesting Sinn Féin was involved in criminality.
A political crisis was sparked at Stormont by the murder of ex-IRA man Kevin McGuigan Sr last month. "If anybody has any information whatsoever about any party in government being involved in criminality, then they should put it up on the table and, more importantly, they should put it to the [Police Service of Northern Ireland]," he said.
In a break between talks on Monday, Mr McGuinness accused some of the other parties of being "mischievous" by suggesting Sinn Féin was involved in criminality.
"If anybody has any information whatsoever about any party in government being involved in criminality, then they should put it up on the table and, more importantly, they should put it to the PSNI," he said.
DUP leader Peter Robinson stepped aside as first minister 10 days ago.
All but one of the DUP ministers have resigned in the deepening political row.
Unionists said the issue of continued paramilitary activity was crucial to their involvement in talks.
On Friday, the government commissioned an independent assessment of paramilitary organisations in Northern Ireland and on Monday, Mr Robinson said he expected Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers to appoint a three-person panel on paramilitary organisations later.
"This'll be a comprehensive review of all of the paramilitary groups right across Northern Ireland and what their activity level is," Mr Robinson said.
At the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday, Mr Robinson nominated Michelle McIlveen to take over as minister for regional development, replacing Ulster Unionist Danny Kennedy who resigned as a result of the crisis over IRA activity.
She is expected to resign swiftly in line with the DUP's "no business as usual" protest action.
Ms Villiers said the two crunch issues were the continuing existence of paramilitary organisations and implementing welfare reform.
She also said there was no more money for welfare reform.
DUP leader Mr Robinson, 66, was at Stormont, after he was discharged from Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital on Sunday.
He had suffered a reaction to medicine prescribed following his heart attack in May.
The story of Stormont's crisisThe story of Stormont's crisis
Read more on how the crisis unfoldedRead more on how the crisis unfolded
Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt said his party was entering the talks "with some concerns, not least about whether there will be a two-party carve-up in a parallel process". UUP leader Mike Nesbitt said his party entered the talks "with some concerns, not least about whether there will be a two-party carve-up in a parallel process".
"We enter the talks in the spirit of being positive and offering imaginative work around some of the blockages," he said. But he added his party would offer "imaginative work around some of the blockages".
Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) leader Alasdair McDonnell said dealing with the past was a priority. Nominated
Social Democratic and Labour Party leader Alasdair McDonnell said dealing with the past was a priority.
"The past must be dealt with and victims and survivors must be dealt with honestly and honourably," he said."The past must be dealt with and victims and survivors must be dealt with honestly and honourably," he said.
Alliance leader David Ford said a deal had to be made. Alliance Party leader David Ford said a deal had to be made.
"We need to end the culture of insidious paramilitarism and to reform the institutions so that we don't keep having a crisis year after year," he said."We need to end the culture of insidious paramilitarism and to reform the institutions so that we don't keep having a crisis year after year," he said.
At the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday, Mr Robinson nominated Michelle McIlveen to take over as the minister for regional development, replacing the UUP's Danny Kennedy who resigned in August.
However, she later resigned from the position, in line with the DUP's "no business as usual" protest action.