FOREIGN affairs minister Simon Coveney is expected in Belfast today ahead of a final push by the two governments to restore the devolved institutions.
The DUP and Sinn Féin continued to talk at Stormont yesterday but there was nothing to suggest an imminent breakthrough in the nine-month deadlock.
On Monday, Sinn Féin negotiator Conor Murphy said he expected the two governments to present proposals for a deal to restore devolution this week.
But he warned that any paper tabled by London and Dublin was likely to fall short of what was required to secure Stormont's return.
The Newry and Armagh MLA's remarks came ahead of a deadline of next Monday for concluding the latest round of negotiations.
According to the British government, legislating for a regional budget must begin early next week to ensure there is adequate time for it to pass through Westminster.
Stormont's two largest parties were maintaining a low profile yesterday as their negotiating teams continued to talk.
The only statement relating to the talks issued by Sinn Féin was aimed at the SDLP.
South Antrim MLA Declan Kearney accused the SDLP of being "obsessed with attacking" his party.
On Monday, SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan accused the Sinn Féin chairman of compromising the achievements of the past 20 years by failing to strike a deal and potentially ushering in direct rule from London.
"Sinn Féin should now come clean – they should state categorically if they are willing to compromise all that we have achieved over the last 20 years and hand power over equality and citizen’s rights to a Tory government under the whip hand of Arlene Foster and the DUP," he said.
Mr McCrossan also called on Stormont's two largest parties to publish their negotiating positions.
Mr Kearney described the remarks as a "shocking indictment of the SDLP".
"Increasingly it appears the SDLP has abandoned the equality and rights agenda, and the need to stand up against those opposed to the Good Friday Agreement," he said.
"The SDLP should state what rights they are prepared to abandon in order to get back into the assembly."
