DUP leader Arlene Foster wants direct rule if Sinn Féin "persist with their intransigence"

We imagine Sinn Féin would be firmly against this.

DUP leader Arlene Foster has called on Sinn Féin to re-enter talks in a bid to establish a government in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland has been without a a functioning executive since March last year and without a First Minister and Deputy First Minister since January when Martin McGuinness resigned over the DUP's handling of the disastrous renewable heat scheme.

Foster stated that her party are ready to return to government and placed the blame for the current stalemate at Sinn Féin's door.

She said that recent talks between the the parties had been “bedevilled by the setting of preconditions” by Sinn Féin.

In a New Year's statement Foster said: "Let us re-enter talks with one shared pre-condition, – that we will redouble our efforts to restore devolution and start taking the decisions that the people of Northern Ireland so desperately need. Let’s set ourselves a short time frame. And let’s do it here at home rather than in some fancy English stately home."

However, she said that in the absence of an agreement with Sinn Féin, Foster wants direct rule to be introduced from Westminster.

“The people of Northern Ireland deserve a government and if Sinn Féin persist with their intransigence then the Secretary of State should move to appoint direct rule ministers early in the new year,” Foster said.