Talks deadline extended until after general election
Stormont talks aimed at restoring power-sharing in Northern Ireland have been extended.
Last updated 20th Apr 2017
It is understood parties now have until three weeks after the June 8 election to reach a deal.
The Secretary of State James Brokenshire has been holding talks, with a view to brokering a deal between the main political parties here.
Earlier on Thursday, Sinn Fein accused the British Government of wanting power-sharing in Northern Ireland to fail.
"There is a growing belief out there among the wider nationalist community that the Government don't want a power-sharing executive to work here." Said Michelle O'Neill.
She made her comments following a meeting with Secretary of State James Brokenshire.
Meetings with Sinn Fein and the SDLP were reported to be extremely tense.
Both parties have expressed anger at Theresa May's decision to call a general election during the Stormont stalemate.
Sinn Fein's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill, said the Prime Minister does not want an Executive that voted to remain in the EU.
"They don't want an executive that is going to take a firm stand against Brexit because obviously the majority of people here voted to remain in the European Union." Said Ms O'Neill.
She added: "So on June 8 the public will have the opportunity to have their say and they have to make their message clear to Theresa May that we are not for Brexit, we are not for a border and we are not for Tory cuts.''
Mr Brokenshire is set to publish emergency legislation to deal with rates collection here.
It is one of a number of planned contingency moves to deal with pressures caused by the ongoing political crisis.