Paisley and Adams talks in progress
Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams began their first ever face-to-face talks today in a last-ditch bid to rescue devolution in the North.
The Democratic Unionist leader and Sinn Féin president met in the members' dining room in Stormont’s Parliament Buildings to finalise a deal to restore power-sharing in early May.
Sources close to the talks said both leaderships were looking at May 8 as the date for the resumption of power-sharing.
The meeting took place as the clock counted down on the British government’s devolution deadline.
Northern Secretary Peter Hain set in motion the devolution process yesterday and Assembly members have until midnight to agree a new deal following the DUP’s insistence that it will not nominate ministers.
An Assembly session to nominate ministers which was scheduled for noon was postponed by the Speaker Eileen Bell, pending the outcome of the DUP and Sinn Féin talks.
