'Considerable progress' in NI negotiations
'Considerable progress' in NI negotiations
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By Darren Estwick. |  |
Sunday, 31, Jan 2010 09:38
By Lewis Bazley.
Discussions to find a resolution regarding devolution in Northen Ireland have made "considerable progress", the government has said.
Opposing parties have also declared their happiness with the current status of the talks, though Northern Ireland secretary Shaun Woodward stressed there was "more work to be done".
Negotiations will resume at Hillsborough Castle near Belfast on Monday, with Sinn Fein and the DUP aiming to reach an agreement over the transfer of justice and policing powers to Belfast.
The DUP have stressed that "community confidence" is key to a swift transfer of power but republican delegates believe the talks should not be dictated by specific issues such as parading.
After British prime minister Gordon Brown and his Irish counterpart Brian Cowen led talks last week, MrWoodward and Irish foreign minister Michael Martin are now presiding over discussions, which halted at 20:00 on Saturday.
"We have made, across what has now been six days, very long days, I think considerable progress," said Mr Woodward. "There remains more work to be done."
Sinn Fein's Conor Murphy added: "We are maybe getting somewhere now.
"We have progress made, we are hopeful that we can finish this fairly quickly. We are getting towards the point now where negotiations will end."
And the DUP's Edwin Mr Poots said his party were keen to "conclude the business".
"We are looking to tidy some things up tonight and there is some more work to be done on Monday," he said.
"We have been working towards creating certainty and clarity about the issues.
"It's more important about getting the right deal, as opposed to a hurried deal."