Northern Ireland power-sharing deadline pushed back to Monday by UK Government

DUP and Sinn Fein politicians had failed to form an executive by today’s 4pm deadline

Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire has said that the DUP’s role propping up the Conservative Government does not ‘in any way’ undermine his position (Getty)

The deadline for power-sharing talks in Northern Ireland has been extended until Monday, after no agreement was reached by 4pm today.

A spokesperson for the Prime Minister said it would provide “space and time” for both sides to come to an agreement.

Earlier in the day, senior Democratic Unionist politician Edwin Poots had warned that the deadline would be missed.

“The talks are continuing, obviously there is not going to be a breakthrough that would lead to nominations taking place today,” he said.

“The talks will continue – Sinn Fein know what they need to do.”

He added: “At this stage we aren't close to an agreement, there is considerable work to be done and we believe the ball is in the court of Sinn Fein in the main in dealing with a series of outstanding issues.”

Sinn Fein said it was “make your mind up time for the DUP”.

The parties are deadlocked over nationalist demands for an “Irish Language Act”, which is opposed by the DUP.

A so-called hybrid model which would also cover the Ulster-Scots language has been proposed as an alternative by the DUP and would have to be accepted by Sinn Fein for progress to be made.

If a deal cannot be struck, Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire could give Westminster a greater say in making decisions in Northern Ireland.

Alternatively, he has the option of calling another Northern Ireland Assembly election or giving the parties more time to negotiate.

Mr Poots said Mr Brokenshire would make a statement to the House of Commons on Monday outlining the way ahead in the wake of yet another broken deadline.

The Assembly has been suspended several times since the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, but the DUP and Sinn Fein have successfully governed in coalition for around ten years, until the recent Renewable Heat Incentive scandal, brought down DUP leader Arlene Foster’s government. In the ensuing elections, Irish republican parties won the most seats in the Assembly for the first time.

That the DUP is now in a “confidence and supply” arrangement to support a minority Conservative Government makes the talks even harder, and also potentially compromises the Westminster Government’s role as a broker between the two. When asked in the House of Commons on Wednesday whether the Tories’ £1.5bn deal with the DUP undermined his position, Mr Brokenshire said “not in any way”.