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| Justice talks continue into night | Justice talks continue into night |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| An all-party session of talks to try to break the deadlock over policing and justice is being held at Hillsborough Castle. | An all-party session of talks to try to break the deadlock over policing and justice is being held at Hillsborough Castle. |
| The British and Irish prime ministers have given the parties until Friday to close the gap, or they will publish their own proposals. | The British and Irish prime ministers have given the parties until Friday to close the gap, or they will publish their own proposals. |
| Alliance Party leader David Ford said talks were likely to go on late into the night. | Alliance Party leader David Ford said talks were likely to go on late into the night. |
| He denied politicians were going through the motions. | He denied politicians were going through the motions. |
| Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey reflected on fact that while politicians continued to talk people outside were losing their jobs. | Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey reflected on fact that while politicians continued to talk people outside were losing their jobs. |
| Referring to the announcement that 210 jobs were being lost at a drill bit company in east Belfast, he said: "If ever there was an example of the disconnect between politics and the experience of people in their everyday lives, today's announcement was clearly evidence of that. | Referring to the announcement that 210 jobs were being lost at a drill bit company in east Belfast, he said: "If ever there was an example of the disconnect between politics and the experience of people in their everyday lives, today's announcement was clearly evidence of that. |
| "It's a matter of very deep regret that all these manufacturing jobs are being lost." | "It's a matter of very deep regret that all these manufacturing jobs are being lost." |
| Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister, who is not taking part in the talks, accused Sinn Fein of having an "insatiable agenda for destabilisation and conflict". | |
| "The manner in which Sinn Fein seeks to advance its agenda, not through accepting the processes within devolution, but by loading its gun to the DUP's head with every pet project, is a reminder that even if the present Stormont crisis is sorted, Sinn Fein will be back for more and more," he said. | |
| At a roundtable session on Thursday afternoon, the talks were widened to consider the problems at the heart of the executive. | At a roundtable session on Thursday afternoon, the talks were widened to consider the problems at the heart of the executive. |
| Parades | Parades |
| Earlier, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams reiterated that devolution of policing and justice and controversial Orange Order parades could not be linked. | Earlier, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams reiterated that devolution of policing and justice and controversial Orange Order parades could not be linked. |
| He was speaking before briefing party officers on the state of ongoing talks at Hillsborough Castle. | He was speaking before briefing party officers on the state of ongoing talks at Hillsborough Castle. |
| Mr Adams said there was still a lot of work to be done. | Mr Adams said there was still a lot of work to be done. |
| "Anybody who thinks that the price of policing and justice is a walk down the Garvaghy Road or Ardoyne is just ridiculous," he said. | "Anybody who thinks that the price of policing and justice is a walk down the Garvaghy Road or Ardoyne is just ridiculous," he said. |
| DUP MLA Sammy Wilson said that his party was focused on resolving the parading issue. | DUP MLA Sammy Wilson said that his party was focused on resolving the parading issue. |
| Gerry Adams said devolution of the powers could not be linked to the issue of parades | Gerry Adams said devolution of the powers could not be linked to the issue of parades |
| He added that the party believed disputes were best resolved at "a local level" but that there needed to be a mechanism in place to allow that to happen. | He added that the party believed disputes were best resolved at "a local level" but that there needed to be a mechanism in place to allow that to happen. |
| SDLP leader Mark Durkan said the talks were making more progress than they had on Wednesday, when the British and Irish prime ministers left Hillsborough without a deal. | SDLP leader Mark Durkan said the talks were making more progress than they had on Wednesday, when the British and Irish prime ministers left Hillsborough without a deal. |
| The negotiations are being led by Secretary of State Shaun Woodward and Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin. | The negotiations are being led by Secretary of State Shaun Woodward and Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin. |
| Gordon Brown and Brian Cowen left Hillsborough, after hosting two marathon days and nights of intense political negotiations over the issue which has threatened the stability of power-sharing at Stormont. | Gordon Brown and Brian Cowen left Hillsborough, after hosting two marathon days and nights of intense political negotiations over the issue which has threatened the stability of power-sharing at Stormont. |
| The two biggest political parties in Northern Ireland, the DUP and Sinn Fein, have been arguing over the timetable for the transfer of policing and justice powers from Westminster to locally elected politicians for months. | The two biggest political parties in Northern Ireland, the DUP and Sinn Fein, have been arguing over the timetable for the transfer of policing and justice powers from Westminster to locally elected politicians for months. |
| Before leaving Northern Ireland on Wednesday, the British and Irish prime ministers said they believed there was a "firm basis" for the parties to set a date in early May for the devolution of policing and justice and to "enhance the existing framework to deal more effectively with contentious parades". | Before leaving Northern Ireland on Wednesday, the British and Irish prime ministers said they believed there was a "firm basis" for the parties to set a date in early May for the devolution of policing and justice and to "enhance the existing framework to deal more effectively with contentious parades". |
| The issue of parades has caused friction in the negotiations, with Sinn Fein complaining that the DUP had made the abolition of the Parades Commission a "pre-condition" to a deal on policing and justice. | The issue of parades has caused friction in the negotiations, with Sinn Fein complaining that the DUP had made the abolition of the Parades Commission a "pre-condition" to a deal on policing and justice. |
| Churches' support | Churches' support |
| Late on Wednesday night, the leaders of Ireland's four main churches called on all the political parties to redouble their efforts to reach a settlement. | Late on Wednesday night, the leaders of Ireland's four main churches called on all the political parties to redouble their efforts to reach a settlement. |
| Cardinal Sean Brady, Archbishop Alan Harper, Presbyterian Moderator Dr Stafford Carson and Methodist President Rev Donald Ker said they believed that "the people of Northern Ireland expect their representatives to ensure that agreement is reached". | Cardinal Sean Brady, Archbishop Alan Harper, Presbyterian Moderator Dr Stafford Carson and Methodist President Rev Donald Ker said they believed that "the people of Northern Ireland expect their representatives to ensure that agreement is reached". |