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| Stormont justice talks to resume | Stormont justice talks to resume |
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| Talks to break the NI devolution impasse will resume later after discussions into the early hours of Saturday failed to produce a deal. | Talks to break the NI devolution impasse will resume later after discussions into the early hours of Saturday failed to produce a deal. |
| BBC NI political editor Mark Devenport said that there is still no sign that any agreement is imminent. | |
| The UK and Irish prime ministers had set a Friday deadline for an agreement. | The UK and Irish prime ministers had set a Friday deadline for an agreement. |
| Sinn Fein and the DUP have been arguing for months over the timing and circumstances of the transfer of policing and justice powers to Belfast. | Sinn Fein and the DUP have been arguing for months over the timing and circumstances of the transfer of policing and justice powers to Belfast. |
| Sinn Fein wants the powers transferred immediately while the DUP has said that can only happen when there is "community confidence" among unionists. | Sinn Fein wants the powers transferred immediately while the DUP has said that can only happen when there is "community confidence" among unionists. |
| The largest unionist party says that confidence could be built through a deal on how to resolve the parading issue. However, republicans have maintained that devolution and parading should not be linked. | |
| The talks have now been going on for five days, the longest period of sustained negotiations since the peace process began in the 1990s. | The talks have now been going on for five days, the longest period of sustained negotiations since the peace process began in the 1990s. |
| It is understood a number of DUP politicians were in favour of taking a break until Monday. | It is understood a number of DUP politicians were in favour of taking a break until Monday. |
| On Wednesday, Gordon Brown and Brian Cowen said that if there was no deal within 48 hours, they would publish their own proposals. | |
| That deadline has been allowed to pass with the parties still locked in discussions. | |
| Speaking on Friday evening, Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said all sides were continuing to work hard towards a durable deal. | Speaking on Friday evening, Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said all sides were continuing to work hard towards a durable deal. |
| ANALYSIS Mark Simpson, BBC Ireland correspondent The latest Northern Ireland political negotiations are now the longest sustained period of talks since the peace process began. In the past 15 years, the parties have had plenty of long days and late nights - but never as many in one week as at Hillsborough Castle in recent days. The discussions began on Monday afternoon and by mid-evening on Friday they were still dragging on. One night, they finished at 0400 GMT; another night at 0530 GMT. Even in the week before the ground-breaking Good Friday Agreement in 1998, there were not quite as many near-dawn talk sessions. More sleep was also had at the other 'hot house' venues over the years - from Leeds Castle in Kent, to Downing Street, to Stormont's Castle Buildings, to St Andrews in Scotland, to Weston Park in the Shropshire countryside. Hillsborough Castle has beaten them all when it comes to sleepless nights. The negotiations to save the Stormont Assembly are not just a test of the peace process - they are fast becoming an endurance test. | ANALYSIS Mark Simpson, BBC Ireland correspondent The latest Northern Ireland political negotiations are now the longest sustained period of talks since the peace process began. In the past 15 years, the parties have had plenty of long days and late nights - but never as many in one week as at Hillsborough Castle in recent days. The discussions began on Monday afternoon and by mid-evening on Friday they were still dragging on. One night, they finished at 0400 GMT; another night at 0530 GMT. Even in the week before the ground-breaking Good Friday Agreement in 1998, there were not quite as many near-dawn talk sessions. More sleep was also had at the other 'hot house' venues over the years - from Leeds Castle in Kent, to Downing Street, to Stormont's Castle Buildings, to St Andrews in Scotland, to Weston Park in the Shropshire countryside. Hillsborough Castle has beaten them all when it comes to sleepless nights. The negotiations to save the Stormont Assembly are not just a test of the peace process - they are fast becoming an endurance test. |
| The DUP said it was prepared "to do business" and talk as long as parties were "willing to talk" to them. | The DUP said it was prepared "to do business" and talk as long as parties were "willing to talk" to them. |
| On Friday afternoon, DUP leader Peter Robinson said he was "not interested in deadlines". | On Friday afternoon, DUP leader Peter Robinson said he was "not interested in deadlines". |
| "If the deal isn't right it won't be done," he said. | "If the deal isn't right it won't be done," he said. |
| "We are not afraid of the devolution of policing and justice. But, until I have a package that looks right, I'll not be going to my party colleagues to ask for support." | "We are not afraid of the devolution of policing and justice. But, until I have a package that looks right, I'll not be going to my party colleagues to ask for support." |
| Sinn Fein's Conor Murphy said his party had to "assess" the situation. | Sinn Fein's Conor Murphy said his party had to "assess" the situation. |
| "We do have to come to a stage where, if it isn't working properly, we have a responsibility to be honest with people and say the basis on which we went into these institutions, the basis on which we agreed with the DUP and the two governments that they would work, is not working," he said. | "We do have to come to a stage where, if it isn't working properly, we have a responsibility to be honest with people and say the basis on which we went into these institutions, the basis on which we agreed with the DUP and the two governments that they would work, is not working," he said. |
| "We're busy talking to the two governments, to the DUP. | "We're busy talking to the two governments, to the DUP. |
| "Our preference would be to get an agreement so we can move on from here. But if that's not available we would have to assess where we go from there." | "Our preference would be to get an agreement so we can move on from here. But if that's not available we would have to assess where we go from there." |
| SDLP leader Mark Durkan said that the parties were on the threshold of either completed devolution or a "complete mess". | SDLP leader Mark Durkan said that the parties were on the threshold of either completed devolution or a "complete mess". |
| Mr Robinson spoke outside Hillsborough Castle on Friday afternoon | Mr Robinson spoke outside Hillsborough Castle on Friday afternoon |
| "We have had the outbursts here all week, but what we need are the outcomes and that's what we want to get today," he said. | "We have had the outbursts here all week, but what we need are the outcomes and that's what we want to get today," he said. |
| The negotiations are being led by Secretary of State Shaun Woodward and Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin after the premiers left Northern Ireland on Wednesday without a deal. | The negotiations are being led by Secretary of State Shaun Woodward and Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin after the premiers left Northern Ireland on Wednesday without a deal. |