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Stormont House talks over welfare turn 'heated' Welfare reform resolution looking 'increasingly bleak', Villiers says
(about 2 hours later)
There was a heated exchange between the deputy first minister and the secretary of state during talks over welfare reform, Sinn Féin has said. The Northern Ireland Secretary has said chances for a resolution of the welfare impasse look "increasingly bleak".
Discussions were being held at Stormont House between Theresa Villiers, Irish foreign minister Charlie Flanagan and the five executive parties. Theresa Villiers was speaking after she hosted a meeting about the Stormont House Agreement that included the five executive parties and Irish government.
Sources said Martin McGuinness quoted the latest UK child poverty figures to Ms Villiers during Thursday's talks. She said: "Time is running out. Implementation of [the agreement] is the only way to avert a major crisis."
She also warned that "the credibility and the future viability of the devolved institutions is now at stake".
"The choice rests with Northern Ireland's political leaders," she added.
Earlier, Sinn Féin said there had been a heated exchange between the deputy first minister and Ms Villiers over welfare reform and the plight of the vulnerable.
Sources said Martin McGuinness quoted the latest UK child poverty figures to Ms Villiers during Thursday's talks at Stormont House.
He then told her to "put that in your pipe and smoke it", they claimed.He then told her to "put that in your pipe and smoke it", they claimed.
After the talks, Ms Villiers said the prospects for a resolution on the welfare reform impasse were looking "increasingly bleak". Quickly
"Regrettably, today's meeting took us no further forward," she said Sinn Féin's Conor Murphy said afterwards that Ms Villiers needed to bring "imaginative solutions to the problems her government has created".
"Time is running out. Implementation of the Stormont House Agreement is the only way to avert a major crisis. "If Theresa Villiers wants to make a positive contribution to the political process then she needs to end this one-sided approach," Mr Murphy added.
"The credibility and the future viability of the devolved institutions is now at stake. The choice rests with Northern Ireland's political leaders." Finance Minister Simon Hamilton, of the DUP, said progress needed to be made "very quickly".
Dependent He said Sinn Féin and the SDLP must stick to deals they made as part of the Stormont House Agreement last Christmas.
"Sinn Féin and the SDLP are the ones to blame for the lack of progress," Mr Hamilton said.
Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt described the meeting as "depressing".Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt described the meeting as "depressing".
He predicted there would be no progress on the deadlock at Stormont until after the chancellor's emergency budget, due on 8 July.He predicted there would be no progress on the deadlock at Stormont until after the chancellor's emergency budget, due on 8 July.
The SDLP leader, Alasdair McDonnell, described the talks as "robust" and at times "brutal".
Striking
On Wednesday, Stormont's new budget bill passed its second stage after a vote in the assembly.On Wednesday, Stormont's new budget bill passed its second stage after a vote in the assembly.
But its final stage is dependent on a deal on welfare reform.But its final stage is dependent on a deal on welfare reform.
A deal on changes to welfare was struck during December's Stormont House Agreement. But since the striking of the Stormont House Agreement, Sinn Féin, the SDLP and the Green Party have opposed the plans to implement the changes.
But since then, Sinn Féin, the SDLP and the Green Party have opposed the plans to implement the reforms.
They have argued that the measures will hit the most vulnerable members of society.They have argued that the measures will hit the most vulnerable members of society.
But supporters of the plan have warned that failure to change the benefits system will mean the executive cannot manage its budget, putting the future of the devolved government at risk.But supporters of the plan have warned that failure to change the benefits system will mean the executive cannot manage its budget, putting the future of the devolved government at risk.