Ardoyne negotiators meet Brokenshire for talks
Hugely experienced community figures who helped resolve the Ardoyne parading dispute have met James Brokenshire as part of talks to restore powersharing.
Jim Roddy has been at the forefront of successful negotiations with the Apprentice Boys loyal order in Londonderry and last year helped the warring parties in the violent north Belfast impasse reach agreement.
Ardoyne Catholic priest Fr Gary Donegan was another key player in ensuring 2016's march through the Belfast flashpoint passed off peacefully.
A UK Government source close to the talks suggested Northern Ireland Secretary Mr Brokenshire is putting every ounce of effort into reaching an accord between the five main political parties at Stormont during the three-week window before fresh elections must be called.
He met the Making It Work Group for candid'' talks at Stormont on Friday, a day when ministers normally attend to constituency business, in a signal of his desire to do a deal.
The organisation comprises Mr Roddy, Fr Donegan, Ryan Feeney from Queen's University who has a background in community relations with the Gaelic Athletic Association, and Professor Peter McBride.
It is understood the talks were useful and the Government will be meeting the group again before the process ends.
Permission for the contentious loyal order procession past the nationalist Ardoyne in north Belfast was granted after an historic deal between the loyal orders and nationalist residents' group the Crumlin Ardoyne Residents' Association.
It followed years of serious violence.