Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionists have been given extra time to continue discussions aimed at restoring a power-sharing government in Northern Ireland.

The Northern Ireland secretary, James Brokenshire, announced on Monday night there was “further progress” made at the talks in Stormont.



Brokenshire held back from his threat to impose a budget, which would signal a partial return to direct rule from London.

Responding to the progress at the talks, the secretary of state said: “[The parties] are making certain additional requests of the UK government which we need to consider. In the light of this, I believe it is right to defer the assessment on whether to introduce legislation to parliament this week to enable an executive to be formed. The parties will recommence talks in the morning and I will reassess the position tomorrow night.”

The extension in the deadline came hours after Theresa May said she preferred the restoration of devolution in Northern Ireland rather than direct rule from London.

A spokesman for May said the British and Irish governments would work with both parties to secure a deal that would bring back power-sharing government in Belfast.

He said: “We are clear we don’t want to see a return to direct rule, we want a return of devolved government in Northern Ireland, so that local decisions can be made by local politicians.

“James Brokenshire has been clear that the latest we can practically introduce legislation to enable the executive’s formation would be this week in order for it to be in time for a new executive to set a budget.”



The spokesman said the Northern Ireland secretary would update parliament later in the week about the state of play.



Ireland’s foreign affairs minister, Simon Coveney, arrived in Belfast on Monday in a bid to help the parties reach a deal, saying on Twitter that it was an important day for Northern Ireland.

Back in Belfast - important day for NI - with political will and a willingness to work together on all sides there is a deal to be done — Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) October 30, 2017

Earlier on Monday, the DUP, which props up May’s government, urged the Brokenshire to impose a budget on the region.

The DUP’s suggestion indicated that the party saw little chance of an 11th hour deal with Sinn Féin that would restore the power-sharing government.

Brokenshire had warned that he would be forced to draw up a budget by the end of Monday in order fund regional government departments in Northern Ireland. Otherwise, the local ministries could run out of money.



The DUP said: “Our position has not changed. We want to see an executive set up; we would have done it March and sorted these issues in tandem. Progress would only be made towards a deal when Sinn Féin drops its ’red-line demands’. Given Sinn Féin have dragged their feet over the last 10 months, the secretary of state should bring forward a budget to bring a measure of good government to Northern Ireland.”

The party added that it was still in favour of devolution for Northern Ireland if a deal could be reached.



Sinn Féin said a deal could only be secured on the grounds of equality for all. The party’s key demand in the talks, which the DUP has resisted, is for the introduction of an Irish language act. This would give the Gaelic language having an equal status in law to English throughout Northern Ireland.

Former Stormont minister Conor Murphy said any deal had to be for all and not just the political leadership of unionism. He said: ”That requires an end to the DUP’s denial of rights citizens enjoy everywhere else on these islands: language rights, marriage rights and the right to a coroner’s court.”

The smaller nationalist party, the Social Democratic and Labour party, has called for joint authority over Northern Ireland by London and Dublin in the absence of a power-sharing administration. This is unlikely given the influence the DUP exercises at Westminster in holding the balance of power in the House of Commons.