Northern Ireland

Parts of 'draft' power-sharing agreement leaked

Parts of a 'draft' power-sharing agreement have been published online
Parts of a 'draft' power-sharing agreement have been published online Parts of a 'draft' power-sharing agreement have been published online

PARTS of a draft agreement discussed by the DUP and Sinn Féin before talks aimed at restoring power-sharing collapsed last week have been published online.

The two largest parties have been at odds over whether a deal was close to being agreed before talks ended last Wednesday.

Sinn Féin said the draft agreement included an Irish language act, an Ulster Scots act, and a 'respecting language and diversity act'.

However, DUP leader Arlene Foster has insisted she would never have agreed to a standalone Irish act.

Journalist Eamonn Mallie said he has obtained 13 pages and annexes of a draft document, parts of which he has published on his website.

He said the document specifically refers to Irish and Ulster Scots bills and a 'Respecting Language and Diversity Bill'.

However, he said the paragraph referring to the three proposed bills was placed in square brackets, meaning it had not yet been agreed.

Sinn Féin has insisted that the three bills would have become three separate acts - a claim the DUP has denied.

The Prime Minister is to meet the leaders of the DUP and Sinn Fein at Westminster later in a bid to kickstart progress on restoring powersharing.

It has been 13 months since the devolved institutions at Stormont collapsed in a row over a botched green energy scheme which quickly expanded to include differences over identity and the Irish language.

Months of inter-party negotiations since then have failed to produce a breakthrough, although the British Government has said progress has been made.

Hopes of a deal last week foundered over the issue of an Irish language act giving official protection to the tongue.

The Northern Ireland Secretary faces setting a budget for Northern Ireland public services from Westminster.

Sinn Fein accuses the DUP of failing to sell a deal to restore the Assembly to its grassroots but the two parties disagreed on whether a draft agreement was on the table.

The DUP has called on the British Government to pass a budget for Northern Ireland and appoint direct rule ministers at Westminster.

Sinn Fein and the Irish Government have opposed direct rule.

On Tuesday Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley said she would provide "clarity" on a public services budget for next year as soon as possible and did not rule out the prospect of fresh Assembly elections.