TOMORROW'S MEETING of the Stormont Executive will not proceed, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has warned.
As the atmosphere between Sinn Féin and the DUP deteriorated sharply, he blamed what he said was DUP unwillingness to accept true partnership in government. Mr McGuinness made his allegations following a meeting with First Minister and DUP leader Peter Robinson at Parliament Buildings yesterday, at which efforts were made to agree an Executive agenda.
Speaking to reporters immediately after the meeting broke up, Mr McGuinness said: "Sinn Féin is not going to play second fiddle to a DUP agenda in these institutions." He claimed the situation between the two parties was "very serious" and he warned the Stormont institutions could only work on a basis of "partnership and equality".
"In the course of recent days, we have been engaged in a number of discussions with the DUP aimed at agreeing an agenda for an Executive meeting on Thursday," he said.
"Agreeing an agenda means all issues of concern need to be put on the agenda - not simply those of concern to the unionist community or the DUP.
"Despite our efforts, this has not succeeded and no progress has been made. Therefore I see no basis for an Executive meeting going ahead this week."
Friday's planned meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council (NSMC) could also now fall victim to the impasse at the heart of the Stormont Executive which has not met since June.
Both Mr McGuinness and Mr Robinson are due to appear together before the Assembly committee which scrutinises the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister which they lead jointly.
In early September, Mr Robinson warned of "dire consequences" if the Executive did not meet as planned on September 18th. That meeting was not held, nor has any scheduled in the meantime.
Sinn Féin will be anxious for the NSMC to go ahead using the same "urgent procedure" which enabled the attendance of Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness at the British-Irish Council meeting in Edinburgh.
However, it is understood legal advice, sought by unionists, suggests this may not be used to process papers for Friday's meeting since an Executive meeting is still theoretically possible.