Deal in the North must be reached today
Political leaders in the North face a “deal or no deal” ultimatum as they enter the final day of negotiations on outstanding disputes.
Talks to find consensus end today, with or without agreement, the North'sern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers warned last night.
Discussions between Ms Villiers, the Irish Government and the five Executive parties at Stormont resume at Stormont House this morning.
“It’s ’make your mind up’ time for Northern Ireland’s political leaders,” the Secretary of State said last night.
“These talks finish tomorrow, even if it takes all night. It there’s no agreement tomorrow, there isn’t going to be one, and the process ends in failure.”
Over the weekend, British Prime Minister David Cameron examined a financial proposal from the parties that could settle budgetary problems facing the power-sharing administration, particularly the impasse over non-implementation of welfare reforms.
The UK Government is set to respond later to their request for £2 billion-plus of extra funding and loan access over the next decade.
The plan essentially addresses long-standing nationalist concerns over introducing the British Government’s welfare policies in Northern Ireland by establishing a significant “cushion” fund, drawn from the Executive’s budget, to support those hardest-hit by the changes to the benefits system.
But while the region’s politicians have agreed a potential way forward on finances, consensus is still proving elusive on other destabilising wrangles on the talks’ agenda, such as those on flags, parades, the legacy of the past and the structures of Stormont.
Christmas has long been seen as the effective deadline for a deal as political positions are anticipated to harden as the General Election looms in the New Year.
Another time factor is a pledge to devolve the long-sought power to set corporation tax rates to the Northern Executive – but only if Stormont’s financial issues are sorted out.
While most of the issues on the agenda of the talks have been rumbling on for years without resolution, the row over welfare reform poses a pressing threat to the very future of the power-sharing institutions.
Failure to implement the policies would see the Executive hit with around £200 million in financial penalties – something that would likely bring down the administration.
