A new round of talks aimed at breaking the deadlock and restoring devolution in Northern Ireland will begin later today at Stormont.
The talks were announced by the British and Irish governments following the tragic death of journalist Lyra McKee in Londonderry. Pressure was placed on politicians to kickstart the process during Lyra’s funeral.
The talks are are getting underway just days after the local council elections which demonstrated support for smaller parties, and a surge in votes for the Alliance party. The DUP and Sinn Féin have been involved in a stand-off since the devolved government collapsed in 2017.