Parties warned of new role for Dublin if deadline missed

The North's political parties were today set a series of deadlines to meet if they wish to prevent the collapse of the Belfast…

The North's political parties were today set a series of deadlines to meet if they wish to prevent the collapse of the Belfast Agreement. In the event the deadline is missed, a new role for input from the Republic in the North's affairs will be formulated by the end of the year.

The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Prime Miinister Tony Blair met the parties in Stormont today and re-iterated that devolution must be restored by November 24 thor else Assembly will be closed down and MLAs will no longer paid.

"We are convinced that November is the outer limit of an acceptable timeframe," Mr Blair and Mr Ahern said in a joint statement.

"That would be very regrettable but everyone accepts that an Assembly subsidised by the public which is not serving its community through active government is simply not sustainable.

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"In this context we also took the opportunity today to review progress on new partnership arrangements that would need to be put in place to ensure our effective joint stewardship of the Good Friday Agreement in the event that devolution does not take place by November 24. That work continues."

The warning was sounded as the premiers presented Assembly parties with a work plan for restoring power sharing.

Under the plan, the Assembly Preparation for Government Committee will continue to meet in July and August and prepare a programme of work to be agreed and announced by the end of August for the Assembly.

The Assembly would return on September 4th, while meetings take place between the governments and politicians on changes to the political institutions and the devolution of policing.

A week later Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain and Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern would take stock of the issues that need to be addressed with the parties.

And following the publication of a report on paramilitary activity by the ceasefire watchdog the Independent Monitoring Commission on October 2th, parties would conclude discussions on all outstanding issues including the completion of a draft Programme for Government for a future Stormont administration and a draft ministerial code.

The two governments today also signalled an emergency bill could be introduced at Westminster on November 20th and amendments made to the Northern Ireland Assembly's rules if there is an all-party agreement by then to restore devolution.

Assembly members would on November 24th have their last opportunity to elect a First Minister, a Deputy First Minister and an entire cabinet of ministers if Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain is to press ahead with a Restoration Order for the Assembly.

Failure to meet this deadline would result in the cutting off of salaries and allowances for Northern Ireland's 108 MLAs and financial assistance to parties stopping.

Mr Blair and Mr Ahern also signalled that in the event of failure to achieve a devolved government the two governments would launch new British/Irish partnership arrangements at a summit in December.

PA