This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/8477430.stm

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
DUP 'is ready for policing talks' DUP 'is ready for policing talks'
(about 1 hour later)
Behind the scenes contacts are expected to try to arrange a meeting between Martin McGuinness and Peter Robinson, over the issue of policing and justice.Behind the scenes contacts are expected to try to arrange a meeting between Martin McGuinness and Peter Robinson, over the issue of policing and justice.
Sinn Fein asked for the meeting after its leaders met in Dublin on Saturday to discuss the deadlock in talks.Sinn Fein asked for the meeting after its leaders met in Dublin on Saturday to discuss the deadlock in talks.
The DUP's Jeffrey Donaldson has said his party would be ready to move forward on Monday.The DUP's Jeffrey Donaldson has said his party would be ready to move forward on Monday.
"I think it's time that they calmed down a bit and let's engage to resolve the outstanding issues," he said."I think it's time that they calmed down a bit and let's engage to resolve the outstanding issues," he said.
Failed to appear
"We remain at the table ready and willing to discuss those issues and move the process forward.""We remain at the table ready and willing to discuss those issues and move the process forward."
Mr Donaldson said that Sinn Fein hadn't turned up for talks "on a number of occasions" during the past week.Mr Donaldson said that Sinn Fein hadn't turned up for talks "on a number of occasions" during the past week.
On Saturday, Sinn Fein said Mr McGuinness, Northern Ireland's deputy first minister, would seek an urgent meeting with the leader of the DUP over the devolution of policing and justice.On Saturday, Sinn Fein said Mr McGuinness, Northern Ireland's deputy first minister, would seek an urgent meeting with the leader of the DUP over the devolution of policing and justice.
ANALYSIS Mark Simpson, BBC Ireland correspondent If Sinn Fein eventually end up walking away from Stormont, it will go down in history as the long goodbye.
Before Christmas, they made it clear they were unhappy; they did so again immediately after Christmas; and now they have warned once more that the Stormont Assembly may be unsustainable.
In spite of these concerns, they are still there. And they will be back round the negotiating table with the DUP leader Peter Robinson on Monday.
So are they bluffing? Is Martin McGuinness really prepared to resign as deputy first minister and trigger an Assembly election? We will find out soon.
The difficulty for both parties is that the problems they failed to sort out last week are the very same problems they face this week.
The only thing that might change is that the British and Irish prime ministers might fly in to Stormont to help.
They may need to bring with them a political magic wand.
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said the meeting between Mr McGuinness and NI's First Minister, Peter Robinson, would be "defining and critical".Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said the meeting between Mr McGuinness and NI's First Minister, Peter Robinson, would be "defining and critical".
But he stopped short of saying the party was pulling Mr McGuinness out of the power-sharing Stormont Executive.But he stopped short of saying the party was pulling Mr McGuinness out of the power-sharing Stormont Executive.
The meeting of the party's executive came after the intensive talks it had held with the DUP over the past two weeks ended in acrimony.The meeting of the party's executive came after the intensive talks it had held with the DUP over the past two weeks ended in acrimony.
Unsustainable institutionsUnsustainable institutions
Addressing the media in Dublin, Mr Adams accused the DUP of failing to honour its obligations under the terms of the 2006 St Andrews Agreement. Addressing the media in Dublin on Saturday, Mr Adams accused the DUP of failing to honour its obligations under the terms of the 2006 St Andrews Agreement.
No self-respecting public representative or political party would want to be part of what would be nothing less than a charade. Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein
He warned that if the Northern Ireland institutions were not working as they were supposed to, they would become unsustainable.He warned that if the Northern Ireland institutions were not working as they were supposed to, they would become unsustainable.
He said the British and Irish governments must act not as referees in the talks process, but as "guarantors, with responsibilities and obligations".He said the British and Irish governments must act not as referees in the talks process, but as "guarantors, with responsibilities and obligations".
Mr Adams added: "What we are about is fixing the problems and returning to the basis upon which these institutions were established - the Good Friday Agreement and St Andrews Agreement.Mr Adams added: "What we are about is fixing the problems and returning to the basis upon which these institutions were established - the Good Friday Agreement and St Andrews Agreement.
"If that is not possible then no self-respecting public representative or political party would want to be part of what would be nothing less than a charade.""If that is not possible then no self-respecting public representative or political party would want to be part of what would be nothing less than a charade."
Resignation threatResignation threat
ANALYSIS Mark Simpson, BBC Ireland correspondent If Sinn Fein eventually end up walking away from Stormont, it will go down in history as the long goodbye.
Before Christmas, they made it clear they were unhappy; they did so again immediately after Christmas; and now they have warned once more that the Stormont Assembly may be unsustainable.
In spite of these concerns, they are still there. And they will be back round the negotiating table with the DUP leader Peter Robinson on Monday.
So are they bluffing? Is Martin McGuinness really prepared to resign as deputy first minister and trigger an Assembly election? We will find out soon.
The difficulty for both parties is that the problems they failed to sort out last week are the very same problems they face this week.
The only thing that might change is that the British and Irish prime ministers might fly in to Stormont to help.
They may need to bring with them a political magic wand.
Sinn Fein and the DUP - the two biggest political parties in Northern Ireland - have been arguing for months over the transfer of policing and justice powers from Westminster to Stormont.Sinn Fein and the DUP - the two biggest political parties in Northern Ireland - have been arguing for months over the transfer of policing and justice powers from Westminster to Stormont.
Sinn Fein want the completion of devolution to happen as soon as possible, but the DUP have argued that there must be "community confidence" before the powers are put in the hands of local politicians.Sinn Fein want the completion of devolution to happen as soon as possible, but the DUP have argued that there must be "community confidence" before the powers are put in the hands of local politicians.
If Sinn Fein was to decide that Martin McGuinness should resign, the joint nature of the roles of first and deputy first ministers would mean that Peter Robinson would also be forced out of office.If Sinn Fein was to decide that Martin McGuinness should resign, the joint nature of the roles of first and deputy first ministers would mean that Peter Robinson would also be forced out of office.
If there were no agreed re-appointments to the posts within seven days, an assembly election would have to be called.If there were no agreed re-appointments to the posts within seven days, an assembly election would have to be called.
Endangering the process
Speaking after Mr Adams' statement on Saturday, the leader of the nationalist SDLP, Mark Durkan, said: "The public and politics need leadership now not brinkmanship.
"They will want to know all parties are making collective efforts to take things forward not hold them up or pull them down."
The issue of Orange Order parades has been a sticking point bewtween Sinn Fein and the DUP.
Sinn Fein has resisted DUP efforts to replace the body which adjudicates on contentious marches, the Parades Commission, with an alternative along the lines of interim proposals produced by a group headed by Lord Ashdown.