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| Stormont talks: Talks to restore devolution back under way | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Talks aimed at breaking almost three years of political deadlock in Northern Ireland have resumed. | |
| Discussions were paused over the Christmas holidays after the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) was accused of holding up a deal. | Discussions were paused over the Christmas holidays after the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) was accused of holding up a deal. |
| Devolved government has been inactive since January 2017, when the DUP and Sinn Féin split in a bitter row. | Devolved government has been inactive since January 2017, when the DUP and Sinn Féin split in a bitter row. |
| Parties have until 13 January to reach agreement or a new assembly election could be called. | Parties have until 13 January to reach agreement or a new assembly election could be called. |
| The DUP and Sinn Féin are set to hold separate meetings with Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith, before a roundtable with the other Stormont parties and the Irish government. | |
| Other bilateral meetings between the parties are expected to take place throughout the day. | |
| On Wednesday, Tánaiste (Irish Deputy PM) Simon Coveney said he hoped the new year would bring a "new beginning for politics in Northern Ireland." | On Wednesday, Tánaiste (Irish Deputy PM) Simon Coveney said he hoped the new year would bring a "new beginning for politics in Northern Ireland." |
| What have the Stormont parties said? | |
| Speaking to BBC Radio Good Morning Ulster programme on Thursday, DUP leader Arlene Foster stated her desire to keep the petition of concern, the assembly's controversial veto system. | |
| The petition is aimed at ensuring legislation cannot pass without cross-community support, but has faced accusations of misuse in the past. | |
| "It was there to protect minorities, and it is important that it continues to have that function," she said. | |
| "I think it is important that it does stay, and in fairness to the other parties I think they want it to stay as well." | |
| Mrs Foster added she had spoken to Sinn Féin's deputy leader Michelle O'Neill on Christmas Eve. | |
| Analysis: Election could be looming | Analysis: Election could be looming |
| By Jayne McCormack, BBC News NI Political Reporter | By Jayne McCormack, BBC News NI Political Reporter |
| The Stormont parties have just 12 days to reach a deal, otherwise Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith has insisted the only other option is another election. | The Stormont parties have just 12 days to reach a deal, otherwise Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith has insisted the only other option is another election. |
| While that has also been a warning from previous secretaries of state, this time it does not appear to be an empty threat. | While that has also been a warning from previous secretaries of state, this time it does not appear to be an empty threat. |
| It's understood the basis of an agreement is there which will require all parties to get quickly on board. | It's understood the basis of an agreement is there which will require all parties to get quickly on board. |
| Before Christmas the DUP was accused of holding back, but it said it had concerns over an Irish language act and reforming the petition of concern. | Before Christmas the DUP was accused of holding back, but it said it had concerns over an Irish language act and reforming the petition of concern. |
| But that was 2019. | But that was 2019. |
| Now it's a new year, the British and Irish governments will be expecting a new way of thinking, given the three-year anniversary of Stormont's collapse is fast approaching. | |
| Also speaking on the programme, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long said the talks had faltered over the petition of concern. | |
| Mrs Long said proposed reform to the petition had been devised by her party, the SDLP, and the Ulster Unionists, and was accepted by Sinn Féin, as well as the Irish and UK governments - but rejected by the DUP. | |
| She said without reforms to the petition, "you might as well open your diary now and pencil in a crisis in four or five months time, because that is exactly what will happen". | |
| The SDLP's deputy leader Nichola Mallon said it was "crunch time" for the talks. | |
| She said the reforms devised to the petition of concern in part by her party would introduce an "independent set of standards that it can measured against and used against, so it can no longer be abused as a dead hand veto for those who are in the most powerful positions". | |
| Ms Mallon added she had hoped to engage with the DUP over the Christmas break, and hoped to do so on Thursday. | |
| Before the talks were paused, Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith said the parties and the British and Irish governments were "very close" to a deal. | Before the talks were paused, Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith said the parties and the British and Irish governments were "very close" to a deal. |
| But he said not all parties were "on board". | But he said not all parties were "on board". |
| The DUP's Edwin Poots said there had been "some effort by others to box us into a corner and force us into a position where we do not get a fair and balanced deal". | The DUP's Edwin Poots said there had been "some effort by others to box us into a corner and force us into a position where we do not get a fair and balanced deal". |
| Why is the talks deadline 13 January? | |
| Since Stormont collapsed, civil servants have been running day-to-day operations - but have needed Westminster to pass some legislation for some areas they do not have powers over. | |
| In July, the government extended a law that gives civil servants flexibility to take certain decisions, but that runs out on 13 January 2020. | |
| The government then has two options if devolution is still not restored: bring forward another new bill to push back the date, or call a fresh assembly election. | |
| In the past, it has opted to pursue legislation but the current Secretary of State Julian Smith has insisted he will call another poll if the parties do not reach a breakthrough by 13 January. | |
| What is the stumbling block? | |
| After power sharing fell in January 2017, Sinn Féin said it would not go back into an executive with the DUP, unless legislation for an Irish Language Act is implemented. | |
| The language is seen as important to the wider nationalist community, and a small number of unionists, as a symbol of identity - but in turn, it has been vigorously resisted by unionist parties. | |
| In February 2018, it appeared a deal was about to be brokered - but it collapsed at the last moment, and the two parties disagreed on the content of the proposed agreement text. | |
| Irish language is certainly an issue in the current talks, but it is understood that the main bone of contention relates to reforming the petition of concern. | |
| The DUP has said it will not allow "cherry picking" of the assembly mechanism - but other parties have put forward proposals to change how it operates. |