08:59

It seems it is a case of too-little-too-late by the Democratic Unionist party in their moves to avoid another election to a new Northern Ireland assembly.

The DUP suddenly found the money today - £50,000 to be precise - for an Irish language bursary the party’s culture minister Paul Givan cut from his budget just before Christmas. (See 9.44am.)

Refunding the scheme which enables children from poorer backgrounds to attend summer courses in Gaeltacht (Irish speaking) regions of Ireland won’t persuade Sinn Fein to return to government and avoid what first minister Arlene Foster has predicted is going to be a “brutal” election.

Minister Givan tweeted this morning that he had “identified the necessary funding to advance” the scheme repeating his earlier insistence that he was not hostile to the Irish language.

But Sinn Fein insist elections are going ahead after its deputy first minister of Northern Ireland Martin McGuinness resigned from his post earlier this week. Although the party cited the withdrawal of the Liofa scheme as one example of DUP bad faith in the power-sharing government, the principal reason for the pull out has been first minister Foster’s refusal to step aside temporarily while a public inquiry takes place into the botched green energy heating programme whose costs have spiralled out of control.

Doubts continue over McGuinness’ health with reports that he is suffering form a rare condition of amyloidosis, a rare disease that affects the central nervous system, the heart and other vital organs.

However, McGuinness penned a column in today’s Belfast Telegraph in which he emphasised that his resignation and the entire crisis was “not an Orange and Green issue, despite attempts to paint it as such.”

The outgoing deputy first minister said the controversy over the Renewable Heat Incentive was rather was about allegations of “corruption” and the need for “the highest standards of governance.”

On these questions McGuinness said the people must have their say and election has to be called.

In today’s article he makes no reference though to his illness or indicate if he will stand for election in the Derry constituency of Foyle in that forthcoming contest.