THE all-party talks aimed at breaking Stormont's financial deadlock and addressing continued paramilitary activity are not expected to intensify until the middle of next week.
While meetings between the five parties and the two governments have continued over recent days, there is a sense among the participants that proceedings are effectively on hold until the publication of the paramilitary monitoring report.
The panel consisting of Lib Dem peer Lord Carlile, former civil servant Rosalie Flanagan and lawyer Stephen Shaw had been expected to deliver its security assessment this week but it has been inexplicably delayed.
It is now expected to be published early next week.
The report was commissioned in the wake of August's murder of former IRA man Kevin McGuigan (53) in Belfast's Short Strand.
Secretary of State Theresa Villiers established the panel to address unionist concerns about the continued existence of the IRA. In the wake of the McGuigan killing, PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton said some IRA members were involved in the shooting, which is thought to have been in revenge for May's murder of leading republican Gerard 'Jock' Davison.
The report will assess the activity of both republican and loyalist paramilitaries.
Ukip MLA David McNarry, who earlier this week was involved the launch new Loyalist Community Council, yesterday speculated that the report's delay could be linked to the initiative involving elements of the UDA, UVF and Red Hand Commando.
"Has the initiative introduced new elements for political consideration which the panel didn’t have presented to them by the NIO?" the Strangford representative said.
"Has the absence of a similar or reciprocal declaration of intent by the IRA put the provisional republican movement on the back foot?"
Mr McNarry called for the report to be published "without delay".
The SDLP's Alban Maginnness said "other parties" had delayed progress in the talks pending the publication of the paramilitary monitoring report.
