THE main players in the Stormont negotiations were quietly confident last night that a deal could be finalised before the end of the week - despite uneasiness among the smaller parties.
Enda Kenny's arrival in Belfast yesterday evening appeared to mark an intensification of the process, which was scheduled to have concluded at the end of last month.
Mr Kenny flew straight to the Stormont House negotiations from London, where following 45 minutes of discussions with British Prime Minister David Cameron, the taoiseach sounded an optimistic note.
However, ahead of his arrival in Belfast the SDLP and Alliance appeared less upbeat.
SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell said that despite the sense that a deal was imminent, "big gaps" remained on several issues.
Meanwhile, an Alliance party source said the smaller parties had yet to get sight of a finalised document that would indicate a deal was on the cards.
Outside Number 10, the taoiseach said he was hopeful the negotiations involving the two governments and Stormont's five largest parties would come to a successful conclusion by the weekend.
"These discussions have been going on for quite some time," he said.
"They have been discussing various points over the last number of weeks and I would be hopeful that, having had briefings from the minister for foreign affairs (Charlie Flanagan) in respect of these discussions, that they might be able to be concluded this week."
Last Friday, Mr Cameron met Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness in what was billed as a "private meeting", however, it is understood finances dominated the agenda, with the first and deputy first minister making a fresh bid to secure Treasury approval for additional borrowing.
Stormont's big two are also pushing Dublin for extra funds, though it is unclear if this is over and above the €400m provisionally committed in Irish goverment's capital plan, which was unveiled at the end of September.
Mr Kenny said cross-border financial pledges had been "part and parcel" of the Dublin government's contribution to the north and that this would continue.
"Clearly some of the issues that have been raised by the parties in Northern Ireland concern major pieces of infrastructure," he said.
"Yes we did commit monies in respect of the A5, some of that has been allocated, and we continue to honour the commitment we put forward there."
The taoiseach said he would discuss "other matters" with Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness.
As the latest 'Stormont House 2' process has developed since the beginning of September there has been a degree of disquiet among the smaller parties about separate negotiations being conducted between the DUP and Sinn Féin, which means there is less prospect that a final deal will get unanimous backing.
Dr McDonnell yesterday cautioned against a two-party carve up, saying that any agreement must be endorsed by all of those round the negotiating table.
"We are very clear that we need a comprehensive sustainable deal that involves all five parties and two governments," he said.
"The public are tired of half baked deals where sticking plasters are stuck over the issues."
His colleague Alex Attwood also warned about the consequences of side-lining the smaller parties.
"The best deal, the one that has the best chance of being sustained and having the confidence of our people is one that is five parties and two governments," he said.
"That is our view, that should be the view of everybody. And, anybody who goes down a different road is going down a dead end."
During question time at the assembly, Mr McGuinness said reaching an overall deal would send a strong message to those still involved in paramilitarism.
"I do think making politics work, I do think coming to agreements like the agreement we are trying to forge at the moment can send a very powerful message to those in society who believe violence represents the best way forward – that's the road to no town," he said.
