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US envoy Gary Hart urges Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness to settle crisis Theresa Villiers to meet party leaders over Stormont crisis
(about 4 hours later)
US envoy Gary Hart has urged Northern Ireland's political parties to sort out the political deadlock over welfare reform. Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers hopes to meet party leaders later to discuss the crisis over welfare reform.
Ms Villiers said Sinn Féin's decision to withdraw support for the welfare reform bill was a setback.
Without agreement on welfare, a budget at Stormont was unsustainable, she said.
She also welcomed the involvement of the US administration. She said the White House shared her disappointment.
Earlier on Thursday, US envoy Gary Hart urged Northern Ireland's political parties to sort out the political deadlock over welfare reform.
He said that a deal would mean meetings planned for St Patrick's Day in Washington could go ahead.He said that a deal would mean meetings planned for St Patrick's Day in Washington could go ahead.
It had been reported that First Minister Peter Robinson might pull out of the visit to meet President Obama in the wake of the latest Stormont crisis.It had been reported that First Minister Peter Robinson might pull out of the visit to meet President Obama in the wake of the latest Stormont crisis.
The first and deputy first ministers are to return from the US on Thursday. The first and deputy first ministers have just returned from the US on Thursday. Mr Robinson and Martin McGuinness were on a short visit for investment meetings.
Mr Robinson and Martin McGuinness were on a short visit for investment meetings.
At the start of this week, Sinn Féin withdrew support for welfare reform legislation.At the start of this week, Sinn Féin withdrew support for welfare reform legislation.
The move has raised questions about the future of devolved government in Northern Ireland.The move has raised questions about the future of devolved government in Northern Ireland.
Secretary of State Theresa Villiers said she hopes to meet the leaders of the five executive parties to try to find a way forward.
Talking to senior politicians around Stormont, we could have quite a few more months of the assembly and executive wandering around in a kind of zombie form hat.Talking to senior politicians around Stormont, we could have quite a few more months of the assembly and executive wandering around in a kind of zombie form hat.
The new budget that they have passed, even if it is fatally undermined by some of the assumptions that it was based on now being out the window, will still come into force at the turn of the financial year in early April.The new budget that they have passed, even if it is fatally undermined by some of the assumptions that it was based on now being out the window, will still come into force at the turn of the financial year in early April.
It could blunder on at least until June which is the first monitoring round when the finance minister has to assess things. It may that, at that point, the internal contradictions will be so large that either the Treasury will have to step in or the finance minister will somehow throw in the towel.It could blunder on at least until June which is the first monitoring round when the finance minister has to assess things. It may that, at that point, the internal contradictions will be so large that either the Treasury will have to step in or the finance minister will somehow throw in the towel.
At the moment, neither the first or deputy first minister shows any sign of resigning so any notion of a snap election seems to have gone away a little.At the moment, neither the first or deputy first minister shows any sign of resigning so any notion of a snap election seems to have gone away a little.
Mark Devenport, Political EditorMark Devenport, Political Editor
On Wednesday, Sinn Féin released a 25-page dossier to explain why it had withdrawn support from the welfare reform bill.On Wednesday, Sinn Féin released a 25-page dossier to explain why it had withdrawn support from the welfare reform bill.
It repeats the party's accusation that the DUP "acted in bad faith" during talks between the two parties on welfare reform implementation.It repeats the party's accusation that the DUP "acted in bad faith" during talks between the two parties on welfare reform implementation.
Sinn Féin said it had made it clear it wanted to provide full protection for current and future benefits claimants.Sinn Féin said it had made it clear it wanted to provide full protection for current and future benefits claimants.
The DUP said there "wasn't the money in December and there is not the money in March" for what Sinn Féin wanted.The DUP said there "wasn't the money in December and there is not the money in March" for what Sinn Féin wanted.
"There's no point in pretending we can find £286m to meet Sinn Féin's belated demands on this and demands they did not ask to be included in the agreement," Sammy Wilson, DUP, said.
Mr Wilson said either Sinn Féin accepted that and let the executive operate within its budget, "or I think the only other consequence is that the government in Westminster accepts that this is not an issue that is going to be resolved by the Northern Ireland Assembly and takes welfare back and the whole benefits system back.
"We have, in black and white, what was agreed in the Stormont House Agreement and then Stormont Castle and nowhere in that document does it mention that there would be future payments covered."
The Sinn Féin dossier says the £564m cost for a benefit top-up scheme contained in the Stormont Castle Agreement on welfare was described as "indicative" and therefore, was not definitive.
"The protection of existing and future claimants was the basis on which Sinn Féin endorsed the Welfare Bill," the party's Conor Murphy said.
"However, three weeks ago the DUP then attempted to roll back from the commitments made in the Stormont House Agreement by attempting to limit protections to existing claimants only."