The DUP's Edwin Poots announced there would be "no breakthrough" to restore devolution ahead of today's 4pm deadline.

NEGOTIATIONS to restore powersharing in the north will be allowed to extend until Monday after Stormont parties missed today's statutory deadline to reach agreement.

A spokeswoman for the British government said the passing of today's 4pm deadline "does not mean the efforts to restore the executive are ending".

"We are now allowing the parties space to continue the discussions," she said.

Secretary of State James Brokenshire will make a statement to the House of Commons on Monday outlining the British government's intentions going forward.

Before this afternoon's 4pm deadline, the DUP's Edwin Poots announced there would be "no breakthrough" to restore devolution.

Three previous deadlines have already been missed this year, with Mr Poots insisting negotiations would continue this evening and through into the weekend.

"There is not going to be a breakthrough which will lead to nominations today," he said.

Mr Poot's statement came after Sinn Féin's Conor Murphy told the DUP that it was time to make their mind up on restoring devolution as the clock ticks down to a deadline to save powersharing.

As the British and Irish governments insisted that a deal was "possible and achievable," the party negotiator said "limited progress" had been made to bridge the gaps between Sinn Fein and the main unionist party.

He added that the DUP had to give much more ground if a deal to restore devolution was to happen.

"We have always said this can be done in a matter of hours - the issues are very clear, there are still gaps in terms of trying to establish a rights-based approach to these institutions working, as per the Good Friday Agreement.

"We want to close those gaps. There has been some limited progress in closing those gaps. We want to get this done, we want to get it done quickly and on a sustainable basis."

Agreement has yet to be reached on an Irish Language Act, mariage equality and legacy issues.

"In our view it's make up your mind time for the DUP," he said.

Mr Murphy indicated that his party would want negoiations to continue if agreement was not reached by 4pm. Direct rule would not be tolerated.

SF: CM says DUP have yet to agree to AnaG, marriage equality, legacy etc. "In our view it's make up your mind time for the DUP" pic.twitter.com/zHaffHopT5 — Amanda Ferguson (@AmandaFBelfast) June 29, 2017

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long said Mr Brokenshire had told the parties he would "reflect" over the weekend on how to proceed, and allow further talks to go ahead in the interim.

She said she was "extremely frustrated and disappointed" that the latest deadline would not be met.

"This Assembly has often been criticised and held in low esteem," she said. "We do ourselves no favours when we continue to let deadline after deadline slip."

She said it was inexcusable that a row over the "name" of an Irish Language Act was halting progress.

"That is ludicrous after six months of negotiation and debate on the issue," she said.

Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann said: "Today's events are extremely disappointing. It's not what we wanted and it's not what the people of Northern Ireland wanted. I believe that the majority of people voted at the last Assembly election for local politicians to take local decisions.

In a statement made at Stormont this afternoon, Secretary of State James Brokenshire said: "Much progress has been made but a number of issues remain outstanding.

"I believe that a resolution can be found and I'm urging the parties to continue focusing all of their efforts on achieving this.

"The UK government will work with the parties toward their critical objective of forming an executive but I have made clear to party leaders that it is for them to reach the agreement which will pave the way for this."

NI Secretary James Brokenshire urges all parties to continue to work together on ways to restore power-sharing pic.twitter.com/nmofDJFRBm — RTÉ News (@rtenews) June 29, 2017

Last night the talks took a dramatic twist after the Dublin government was accused of “meddling in matters” at Stormont by backing calls for a standalone Irish language act.

With negotiations down to the wire ahead of today’s deadline the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that separate protections for Irish – rather than legislation encompassing Ulster Scots – were its “consistent position”.

An Irish language act has been a key sticking point of the talks.

The DUP wants to see an Executive formed immediately & is fully prepared to nominate a First Minister this afternoon at 2pm. — DUP (@duponline) June 29, 2017

However, as Sinn Féin called on the British and Irish governments to intervene to help break the deadlock in the power-sharing negotiations the DUP reacted angrily to perceived interference from Dublin.

South Belfast MLA Christopher Stalford said the party would seek a meeting with foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney to voice concerns about the Irish government’s stance.

“The Irish government has no jurisdiction in Northern Ireland, yet in the past week it has proceeded to voice opinions and meddle in matters which are entirely for the Northern Ireland Executive,” he said.

“Only last week the Irish government lectured our United Kingdom government on the importance of observing neutrality when dealing with Northern Ireland parties.

“Yet today, by publicly declaring its support for Sinn Féin’s position in negotiations, the Irish government has undermined its own credibility as being neutral.”

Talks to restore devolved government are going down to the wire.

A scheduled meeting of the Stormont Assembly was today postponed amid intensive last-ditch negotiations to restore powersharing before today's 4pm deadline.

Sein Féin at Stormont Castle. Picture by High Russell

The Assembly had been due to convene at noon to begin nominating devolved ministers to a coalition government.

After a meeting of party whips, the start time was scrapped. It is understood the majority of the parties wanted to postpone the session until 2pm.

The whips are due to meet again at 1pm to make a final decision on the crucial sitting.

The DUP wants to see an Executive formed immediately & is fully prepared to nominate a First Minister this afternoon at 2pm. — DUP (@duponline) June 29, 2017

Sinn Féin yesterday urged the two governments to inject “leadership and energy” into the last-ditch talks.

But the DUP’s Edwin Poots said: “One party cannot deliver this process on its own.”

The party told Sinn Féin to stop indulging in “high-wire acts” and get down to the job of delivering for the people.

Unless agreement is reached by the deadline, which is set down in law, Northern Ireland faces the prospect of a return to direct rule from London.

Sein Féin at Stormont Castle. Picture by High Russell

With regards the Irish language there was wrangling over whether it merits strand-alone legislation or a hybrid encompassing Ulster Scots remains the key sticking point.

Sinn Féin has so far rejected proposals that would see protections for Irish included in broader cultural legislation and last night it emerged that the Dublin government also supported calls for an act.

Mr O'Dowd questioned whether there was any point in extending today's deadline so further talks could take place.

"Timescale is not the issue," he said.

"It is a willingness by the participants in the talks to resolve the outstanding issues."

The Upper Bann MLA said there was an onus on the two governments "to inject energy into these talks, to inject leadership into talks and ensure the outstanding issues are resolved in the time-scale we have left to us".

Mr Poots said his party was ready to re-establish devolved government today.

"We will be happy to run D'Hondt (to select ministers) tomorrow and continue with negotiations in a fair and reasonable manner to get the solutions," he said.

"It is up to Sinn Féin if they wish to do that, or if they want to break through the deadline that is a matter for them, but we are happy to nominate ministers tomorrow."

Sein Féin at Stormont Castle. Picture by High Russell

The Lagan Valley MLA agreed that the Irish language issue was proving contentious.

"We want to show absolute respect to people's language and culture and are working extremely hard to identify what people's bottom lines are and how we can move those issues forward," he said.

"Education and health is a greater priority for me than languages – Sinn Féin have identified language as their highest priority."

Mr Poots said his party wanted to work with republicans to break the deadlock.

Robin Swann said his party would not provide cover for the DUP if it agreed to an Irish language act. Picture by Hugh Russell

Secretary of State James Brokenshire (left) and Foreign Affairs minister Simon Coveney after speaking to the media at Stormont, Belfast, as a scheduled meeting of the Stormont Assembly has been postponed amid intensive last-ditch negotiations to restore powersharing before today's 4pm deadline

Sein Féin at Stormont Castle. Picture by High Russell