NEGOTIATIONS aimed at saving Stormont are expected to continue next week despite yesterday's dramatic round of DUP ministerial resignations.
Secretary of State Theresa Villiers and the Republic's Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan appear determined to keep the process on track against the background of a deepening crisis sparked by last month's murder of Kevin McGuigan in Belfast's Short Strand.
DUP leader Peter Robinson yesterday ordered all but his finance minister Arlene Foster out of the power-sharing executive.
He himself has stepped aside, rather than resign, leaving Mrs Foster as interim first minister for a period of up to six weeks, and allowing talks to take place without collapsing the institutions.
On foot of threatening resignations on Wednesday, Mr Robinson was left with little choice after his party's bid to force an adjournment of the assembly through Stormont's business committee failed.
To put the assembly back into recess, as the DUP leader hoped, required support or abstentions from Alliance and the SDLP after Sinn Féin and the Ulster Unionists signalled that they would not support the move.
As reported in The Irish News yesterday, the SDLP was always minded to vote against adjournment and even an early morning personal plea from Taoiseach Enda Kenny did not change the party's stance.
SDLP leader Dr Alasdair McDonnell said he was opposing adjournment because it offered "no real solution".
"We will not cross the wires of politics and policing as the DUP have done upon recent arrests," he said.
Stormont in crisis: the full background
[ Why Robinson has walked out and what happens nextOpens in new window ]
[ John Manley: Robinson's resigned to let Stormont limp onOpens in new window ]
[ Senior republicans released in McGuigan murder probeOpens in new window ]
[ No suspensions means MLA salaries unaffectedOpens in new window ]
[ Failure to provide stable government 'not an option' - BellOpens in new window ]
[ Brian Feeney: British government prepared to play hardball with DUPOpens in new window ]
[ Alex Kane: People deserve better than the current political farceOpens in new window ]
[ Focus remains on talks despite DUP walk-outOpens in new window ]
[ Stormont crisis latest: MLAs vote for free tea and coffeeOpens in new window ]
[ Newton Emerson: Villiers comes up with escape route for Sinn FeinOpens in new window ]
[ Senior republicans arrested in Kevin McGuigan murder probeOpens in new window ]
[ Police chief may be asked to attend political talksOpens in new window ]
[ 'Don't jeopardise our industry' MLAs urgedOpens in new window ]
[ John Manley: Here we go again... bluster, threat then fudgeOpens in new window ]
[ DUP says 'no further' executive meetings at StormontOpens in new window ]
[ Police back monitoring of paramilitariesOpens in new window ]
[ Brian Feeney: Watch as Peter Robinson produces a survival planOpens in new window ]
[ Kenny and Adams clash over IRA criminality claimsOpens in new window ]
[ Tom Kelly: The DUP needs the cover of the UUP more than it realisedOpens in new window ]
[ Patrick Murphy: We're sure to strike gold at political gymnasticsOpens in new window ]
[ UUP votes to withdraw from executiveOpens in new window ]
"We feel the assembly can and should do business while the talks take place and should not be put at risk by political brinkmanship."
Under the business committee's block voting method, the DUP and Alliance were outvoted by 54 to 46, with Sinn Féin, the SDLP and Ulster Unionists rejecting the adjournment proposal.
It is understood Mr Robinson was then told by Downing Street that suspension - which would required new legislation at Westminster - was not an option at present.
It was at this point, in front of a packed Great Hall at Stormont, that he announced the resignations of only his health, enterprise and social development ministers.
"In light of the decision by republicans, nationalists and the UUP to continue with business as usual in the assembly, I am therefore standing aside as first minister and other DUP ministers will resign with immediate effect with the exception of Arlene Foster," he said.
"I have asked Arlene to remain in post as finance minister and acting first minister to ensure that nationalists and republicans are not able to take financial and other decisions that may be detrimental to Northern Ireland."
Mrs Foster previously stepped into the DUP leader's shoes in 2010 in the aftermath of the scandal involving his wife Iris and her teenage lover.
Reacting to the resignations, Ms Villiers said she was determined to "get a way through these crises".
"We did not think the circumstances will justify suspension, that has not changed and obviously suspension would not resolve the two big problems we face, implementation of the Stormont House Agreement and the presence of paramilitary organisations," she said.
"The only way those problems are going to be resolved are through intensive cross-party talks."
Mr Flanagan said he regretted the DUP's decision, while a spokesman for Mr Cameron said the prime minister was "gravely concerned" about the situation.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams welcomed the business committee vote as a "very, very clear democratic reiteration of the integrity of these institutions and of the need and the wish for these institutions to continue the work which we were all elected to do on behalf of citizens in this state and across this island".
However, Alliance leader David Ford accused the UUP and SDLP of "grand-standing instead of helping reach a solution".
"It is a deeply disappointing day for everyone in Northern Ireland and a worrying one as regards the future of the political institutions here, thanks to the actions of the UUP and SDLP," he said.
Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt claimed the DUP had shown "incredibly weak leadership".
"Instead of the focus remaining firmly on Sinn Féin, people are now trying to determine exactly what this latest example of DUP manoeuvring actually means," he said.
