TALKS aimed at restoring devolution have been suspended until after the Westminster election.
Secretary of State James Brokenshire officially pressed the pause button on the process with a statement yesterday afternoon.
The negotiations are expected to resume in the days following the June 8 election. Mr Brokenshire last week set a deadline of June 29 for the talks' conclusion. It is the fourth such deadline for the negotiations which began after the March 2 assembly election.
In his statement, the Tory MP said progress has been made so far on developing a programme for government and addressing the legacy of the Troubles.
He said after seven weeks of discussions a number of outstanding issues remained to be resolved.
"All the parties involved recognise it is vital devolved government, and all of the institutions established under the Belfast Agreement and its successors, resumes in Northern Ireland as soon as possible," he said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan said it was his understanding that the consensus among the Stormont leaders was that the talks should be suspended.
He said there would be sufficient opportunity after June 8 for the parties and two governments to re-engage "on the urgent task of forming a new executive and taking forward the implementation of outstanding commitments from previous agreements".
Mr Flanagan said there had "encouraging movement across a range of areas" but a number of key issues remained to be resolved".
Sinn Féin's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill said the calling of the election had scuppered any chance of agreement on the way forward.
She said the pause was a realistic decision.
"It has been very clear over the last seven or eight weeks that the DUP and the British Government have not moved far enough to address the issues."
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the hiatus was a sensible step but time was limited to find a deal before June 29.
He said if the will was there, agreement could be found.
"It takes people to understand that the only kind of government we can have will be one that is truly and properly based on the principles of powersharing and partnership."
Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann said the work made to date should be "banked" to be built on after the election.
"We are both disappointed and frustrated that we are now at this stage," he said.
Alliance leader Naomi Long said she was "hugely frustrated and disappointed" by the secretary of state's decision.
"While we can park the talks, we cannot park the juggernaut of cuts and chaos hitting our public finances and placing in jeopardy our health services, schools and education, voluntary and community sector, infrastructure investment and economic growth," she said.
