Northern Ireland: Stormont assembly scrapped as DUP sees 'no breakthrough' on devolution before deadline

There will be "no breakthrough" on an agreement to restore power-sharing in Northern Ireland ahead of the 4pm deadline, according to a senior member of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

Legislative Assembly member Edwin Poots said a scheduled assembly to nominate new ministers to the Northern Irish Assembly had been cancelled.

If the parties do not reach a deal Northern Ireland faces the possibility of direct rule from Westminster.

Mr Poots said if a deal did not materialise in the near future he would prefer direct rule ministers to take over running Stormont departments.

"The talks are continuing, obviously there is not going to be a breakthrough that would lead to nominations taking place today," he said.

"The talks will continue - Sinn Fein know what they need to do."

He added: "At this stage we aren't close to an agreement, there is considerable work to be done and we believe the ball is in the court of Sinn Fein in the main in dealing with a series of outstanding issues."

Sinn Fein said it was "make your mind up time for the DUP (Democratic Unionist Party)".

The parties are deadlocked over nationalist demands for an Irish language act, which is opposed by the DUP.

A so-called hybrid model which would also cover the Ulster-Scots language has been proposed as an alternative would have been be accepted by Sinn Fein for progress to be made.

If a deal cannot be struck, Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire could give Westminster a greater say in making decisions in Northern Ireland.

Alternatively, he has the option of calling another assembly election or giving the parties more time to negotiate.

Mr Poots said Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire would make a statement to the House of Commons on Monday outlining the way ahead in the wake of yet another broken deadline.

The Stormont Assembly has been suspended four times since the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, but the DUP and Sinn Fein have successfully governed in coalition for more than ten years, until the recent Renewable Heat Incentive Scandal, known as Cash for Ash, brought down DUP leader Arlene Foster's government. In the ensuing elections, Irish Republican parties won the most seats in the assembly for the first time.

That the DUP is now in a "confidence and supply" arrangement to support a minority Conservative government makes the talks even harder, and also potentially compromises the Westminster government's role as a broker between the two. When asked in the House of Commons on Wednesday whether the £1.5bn deal with the DUP undermined his position, Mr Brokenshire said "not in any way."