Stormont: Chris Heaton-Harris says politicians need to get back to work

Summary

Chris Heaton-Harris has held further talks with Stormont parties amid efforts to restore devolved government
The five biggest parties met the secretary of state separately
It follows talks in December in which the UK government offered a £3.3bn financial package
But this money is dependent on the return of a power-sharing government
The talks come ahead of a mass strike on Thursday involving thousands of public sector workers calling for better pay and conditions

Live Reporting

Ali Gordon, Rebekah Wilson, Ross McKee and Amy Stewart

The DUP arrives to shouts of shamepublished at 12:53 Greenwich Mean Time 15 January
The DUP delegation of leader Jeffrey Donaldson, Gavin Robinson and Emma Little-Pengelly has arrived to the talks to shouts from protesters.
"Fair pay for teachers," some yell, as well as one protester shouting: "Shame, shame, shame."
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DUP's actions 'are punishing the public'published at 12:41 Greenwich Mean Time 15 January
Michelle O'Neill says the party made it clear to the Northern Ireland secretary that he should divorce paying public sector workers from "the ongoing political stalemate".
"The DUP's actions and inaction to restore the executive are punishing the public," she adds.
"We find ourselves in a scenario where the politics is stagnant and the money that is there to pay the public sector workers is hanging in the balance.
"We made sure he was very clear of our view, which is that money should be paid and he should absolutely divorce the two things."
'The DUP has a decision to make' - Sinn Féinpublished at 12:37 Greenwich Mean Time 15 January
Image caption,
Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill and Conor Murphy
Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill and Conor Murphy emerge from the bilateral meeting with the secretary of state but Mrs O'Neill says that she does not feel positive after the meeting.
"Later this week our public service workers will have to go out onto the picket lines - that's not acceptable, it's unfair - they shouldn't be forced to that juncture," she tells gathered reporters.
"We told the secretary of state that he has put money on the table so to get on with it and pay the workers.
"I think the public watch on very frustrated and I share that frustration.
"As we hurtle towards Thursday, the DUP has a decision to make and Jeffrey Donaldson has to provide the leadership that the wider public deserves."
Stormont recall will go ahead this weekpublished at 12:30 Greenwich Mean Time 15 January
Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI political correspondent
Sinn Féin’s petition to recall the assembly in a bid to elect a speaker has been successful, BBC News NI understands.
It has passed the threshold of 30 signatures - SDLP MLAs have signed, Alliance had also indicated it would support.
Wednesday is expected to be the day the assembly will be recalled.
For more information on this story follow this link
Political freeze 'is not good enough'published at 12:10 Greenwich Mean Time 15 January
Protesters are at the gates of Hillsborough Castle.
Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill tells them she will repeat their messages when her party meets Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.
"It is not good enough that we don't have an executive - you deserve your pay and we support your action," she says.
"You shouldn't have to take it."
NI secretary arrives at Hillsborough Castlepublished at 11:55 Greenwich Mean Time 15 January
Image source, PA Media
Chris Heaton-Harris has arrived at Hillsborough Castle ahead of one-to-one meetings with the five main political parties.
In December, he said it was "now time for decisions" and that more than £3.3bn was available for the return of the executive.
What's the plan?published at 11:50 Greenwich Mean Time 15 January
We've now got a schedule for today.
Each of the parties will meet the NI Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris separately. We should expect to see each party delegation arrive at staggered times throughout the day.
Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill has already arrived for the party's meeting with the secretary of state.
This is expected to be followed by:
The DUP at 12:30 GMT
Alliance at 13:30
SDLP at 14:30
UUP at 15:30
Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill arrives for talkspublished at 11:33 Greenwich Mean Time 15 January
Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill has arrived at Hillsborough Castle for talks with the secretary of state.
On her way in she stopped to speak with protestors.
Protesters line up outside Hillsboroughpublished at 11:29 Greenwich Mean Time 15 January
Protesters have lined up outside Hillsborough Castle where talks are taking place between NI Secretary, Chris Heaton-Harris, and the five main political parties.
Welcomepublished at 11:28 Greenwich Mean Time 15 January
Brendan Hughes
BBC News NI political reporter at Hillsborough Castle
Welcome to our live page on Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris holding talks with the Stormont parties on efforts to restore devolved government.
Follow here for updates from Hillsborough Castle, County Down, as representatives of the main political parties attend bilateral meetings with the secretary of state.
The latest talks come ahead of a mass strike in Northern Ireland on Thursday involving thousands of public sector workers calling for better pay and conditions.
The secretary of state has come under pressure to tackle the pay dispute in the absence of an executive, but he has argued it is a matter for local ministers to address.
Roundtable talks in December saw the UK government offer a £3.3bn financial package for Northern Ireland to revive the Stormont executive.
But the discussions ended without any resumption of power-sharing.
Northern Ireland's devolved government collapsed in February 2022 after the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) withdrew in protest against post-Brexit trade checks between the region and Great Britain.