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O'Neill says 'step change' needed for Stormont talks success

Michelle O'Neill delivered a bleak assessment of how the talks were progressing. Picture By Hugh Russell.
Michelle O'Neill delivered a bleak assessment of how the talks were progressing. Picture By Hugh Russell. Michelle O'Neill delivered a bleak assessment of how the talks were progressing. Picture By Hugh Russell.

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan returns to Belfast this morning in the hope of injecting some fresh impetus into the Stormont talks process.

He arrives amid growing concern that the negotiations aimed at restoring devolution may not even make it to next week's Good Friday deadline.

Sinn Féin northern leader Michelle O'Neill yesterday delivered a bleak assessment of the first three days of discussions.

She said there had been little progress so far and claimed the British government and DUP were not focused "on the key issues which were at the heart of the recent election".

Ms O'Neill said her party wanted to see the devolved institutions work but repeated her assertion that it must be "on the basis of equality, integrity and respect and delivery for all".

"We have seen no progress to date – nothing that we could report that's anything significant," she said.

The Mid Ulster MLA said legacy issues were proving the main sticking point between the talks' participants. She said a deal to rescue the Stormont institutions was only possible if there was a "step change" in approach.

The parties yesterday discussed a broad range of issues, including legacy and the Irish language.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said "engagement in this phase of the talks has ratcheted up significantly".

"That’s welcome and creates further opportunities to close the gaps that exist between the parties," he said.

"That engagement must now begin to translate to tangible progress in the days ahead.

"We must all be aware that failure to reach a resolution here may see power handed back to a British Cabinet at Westminster that has demonstrated a consistent disinterest in the will of our people. With further cuts to welfare on the way and the immediate threat of Brexit, the price of failure is high."

The two governments convened the fresh negotiations on Monday after the previous post-election talks broke down without agreement.

This time around, they have promised more structure and intensiveness to the process, including regular round-table meetings involving the five party leaders.

Whereas calls for an independent chair for the talks were dismissed by Secretary of State James Brokenshire, civil service head Malcolm McKibbin has taken on the role of chairing one strand of the negotiations dealing with the programme for government and other 'housekeeping' matters.

It is understood London and Dublin would like the negotiations completed by tomorrow week.

Mr Brokenshire said last week that he would move legislation to restore the devolved institutions if there was a successful resolution by the time Westminster returns from its Easter recess on Tuesday April 18.

The Tory MP said the British government would consider a return to direct rule if the latest talks failed.

The two governments have put in place a more structured process than the three-week long post-election negotiations that ended without agreement.

They have promised "an intensive process to drive progress".