Talks between Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris and political leaders in Northern Ireland broke up on Tuesday without agreement on a restoration of the powersharing institutions, despite a new improved offer of a £3.3 billion financial package to stabilise finances in the region. Talks between Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris and Stormont parties ended on Tuesday (Liam McBurney/PA)The powersharing institutions have been collapsed for almost two years as the DUP seeks further legislative assurances from the Government of Northern Ireland’s trading position within the UK. The Northern Ireland Secretary has also faced calls to release funding to settle public sector pay claims in Northern Ireland, with multiple unions planning widespread strike action on January 18. Mrs McDonald said it was now clear that negotiations on the Northern Ireland Protocol and the Windsor Framework over Northern Ireland’s place within the UK internal market are now over. He said: “There are some improvements but there is more work to be done in terms of improving it.

Source: The Herald December 20, 2023 16:25 UTC