Stormont stalemate: DUP needs to 'get off the fence' - O'Neill

The DUP needs to "get off the fence" and return to the executive immediately, Michelle O'Neill has said.

Sinn Féin's vice-president was speaking ahead of a meeting with the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service at Stormont this morning.

It is understood the talks will focus on finances and restoring government.

There has been speculation that the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) could return to power-sharing in the autumn. However, Ms O'Neill said this was "not an acceptable timeframe".

In an earlier letter to the four largest parties, civil service boss Jayne Brady said budget pressures had been compounded by a "governance gap".

Sinn Féin is now the largest party in the assembly and in local government.

The task fell to Mr Heaton-Harris in the absence of a functioning Northern Ireland Executive.

Mr Heaton-Harris, who has denied setting a "punishment budget", warns that government departments face difficult decisions "in order to live within the funding available".

The NI secretary said he is in "close contact" with parties about doing everything possible to lead to the restoration of the executive. However, Michelle O'Neill has accused him of having "no urgency" on the matter.

Speaking after a meeting with Mr Heaton-Harris at Hillsborough Castle on Wednesday, Ms O'Neill said: "It's unfortunate to say I don't believe there's any urgency there on his part. I think that was certainly our reflection of the conversation that we just had."

In her letter to Sinn Féin, the DUP, the Alliance Party and the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) Ms Brady wrote that only elected ministers can take "major policy decisions", some of which are required for departments to make savings in the budget for 2023-24.

Her letter warned that "leaves the accounting officer in the invidious position of having no lawful means to ensure full compliance with the duty to remain within budget limits".

"As a result, the spending trajectory currently exceeds the budget, and this will remain the case until and unless ministerial decision-making is restored," it added.

Ms Brady went on to emphasise that even if an executive was formed and accompanied by an additional financial package from Westminster, it was still "highly likely" that the budgetary position will remain very challenging.

"An incoming executive would be faced with a series of choices, made all the more challenging because they would fall to be taken part way through the financial year," she added.

It is understood she asked the parties to meet her on Thursday to discuss preparations for a future executive.

This will include looking at recovery and transformation of public services in the context of the 2023/24 budget and outlining priorities for an incoming government.

Following the council election Michelle O'Neill said the onus was on the British and Irish governments to focus efforts on the immediate restoration of the assembly.

Party leader Mary Lou McDonald said the election result was a "monumental endorsement" for Sinn Féin and the party now had a "huge mandate".

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said his party's stance had been backed by voters in last week's election.

He said it "would be disservice to the people of Northern Ireland" for the party to return to devolved government while their concerns on post-Brexit trade arrangements remain unresolved.

Sir Jeffrey has confirmed the party's conditions for a return to power-sharing now include financial assurances from Westminster.

"If we're to see an executive restored on a sustainable and stable basis, that's not just about resolving the issues around the Windsor Framework and the Northern Ireland Protocol, it is also about ensuring that we've got the resource to make the reforms that we need in Northern Ireland and to deliver healthcare, education and all the other vital public services," he said.

"We are developing a range of proposals for the government, they are aware of the outline of what it is we need."

You can listen to the BBC's 5 Questions On, where Ireland Correspondent Chris Page explains the significance of the 2023 council election.