Sinn Féin takes over offices once used by SDLP deputy

Sinn Féin has taken over a suite of offices in the east wing of Parliament Buildings, Stormont previously occupied by SDLP former deputy first minister Séamus Mallon and his successor Mark Durkan.

Senior party officials moved into the offices after the Northern Secretary Peter Hain last week offered the DUP and Sinn Féin the resources to pay for three senior advisers each, at an annual salary of £45,000 (€66,490), plus additional offices and supports. The Ulster Unionist Party and SDLP were offered one senior adviser each.

Sinn Féin's Assembly group leader John O'Dowd in a statement said the party had taken up the offer although this was not tantamount to taking over the deputy first minister's office. "Sinn Féin has been allocated a number of offices in what was the deputy first minister's suite but not at this point the deputy first minister's office itself."

The DUP has yet to say if it will take up Mr Hain's offer of additional advisers and offices, which are understood to be in the west wing of Parliament Buildings where former UUP first minister David Trimble had his suite of offices.