This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7645417.stm

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Robinson challenges SF 'fig leaf' Robinson challenges SF 'fig leaf'
(about 2 hours later)
The NI First Minister has said he is happy to have an executive meeting on Thursday with an "open agenda".The NI First Minister has said he is happy to have an executive meeting on Thursday with an "open agenda".
Peter Robinson said he wanted to "remove the fig leaf" of Sinn Féin's claim that he only wanted to discuss issues that were important to the DUP.Peter Robinson said he wanted to "remove the fig leaf" of Sinn Féin's claim that he only wanted to discuss issues that were important to the DUP.
On Tuesday, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said the meeting was highly unlikely to take place because of delays in devolving justice powers. Earlier, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said the meeting could not take place if his party was going to play "second fiddle" to the DUP.
The executive has not met since June because of the dispute.The executive has not met since June because of the dispute.
"The only reasons that they have publicly given for the executive not meeting are that the agenda is in some way being constrained," said Mr Robinson."The only reasons that they have publicly given for the executive not meeting are that the agenda is in some way being constrained," said Mr Robinson.
"I am saying we can have an open agenda, we can deal with whatever issues, including policing and justice, which can be raised at the executive table if they wish.""I am saying we can have an open agenda, we can deal with whatever issues, including policing and justice, which can be raised at the executive table if they wish."
Earlier, Mr McGuinness said the executive meeting had to deal with all of the issues of concern to all of the parties. Before Mr Robinson made his comments, Mr McGuinness said there could not be "an unbalanced approach to the executive."
"Not least the whole issue of education and the gross interference by the DUP in the work of the education minister," he said. "It needs to be an agenda that faces up to all of the issues. Not a unionist agenda, not a DUP agenda, but an agenda that is built on partnership and equality."
"The whole issue of the Long Kesh site, where thousands and thousands of jobs could have been provided but the DUP made a dog's dinner of that over the course of the last 18 months." BBC NI's political correspondent Gareth Gordon said the response from a Sinn Féin source to Mr Robinson's offer was that it "wasn't practical, what was needed was agreement between the first and deputy first minister on what papers should go forward."
The two ministers are due to appear together in front of a Stormont committee on Wednesday. The two ministers have appeared together in front of a Stormont committee on Wednesday afternoon to discuss work carried out by the Office of First and Deputy First Ministers.