North talks to begin despite Peter Robinson’s health scare

Roundtable talks involving the British and Irish governments and the North's five main parties are scheduled to begin today notwithstanding that DUP leader Peter Robinson had to undergo further hospital treatment yesterday.

Mr Robinson (66), who suffered a heart attack in May, took ill on Saturday night and was admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.

“Mr Robinson had a reaction to some medication and was admitted as a precautionary measure. He is doing well and will be discharged soon,” the DUP said yesterday.

A spokesman for the hospital confirmed he was admitted as a “precautionary measure and that he was “comfortable and doing well”.

Mr Robinson has been under considerable pressure in recent months as he has sought to deal with the political crisis caused by the police assessment that the IRA still exists and that some of its members were involved in the murder last month of Belfast republican Kevin McGuigan although acting without the authority of the IRA leadership.

After treatment for his heart attack in May, Mr Robinson was back in work in just over a week.

He blamed his illness on his diet and lack of exercise. This latest health episode has cast some doubt over whether he will be in a position to head the DUP delegation attending today’s talks at Stormont House.

Political future

It is also likely to raise questions about the political future of Mr Robinson –who stood aside as First Minister as part the DUP response to the crisis caused by the murder of Mr McGuigan – and about how long he would want to remain as DUP leader.

Nonetheless, a DUP spokesman said it was "hoped" that Mr Robinson would lead the party in talks today, a point also made by Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson.

“He plans to be with us tomorrow at the talks at Stormont,” Mr Donaldson told BBC’s Sunday Politics programme.

The focus by the DUP, Dublin, London and the main parties in these plenary talks will be on addressing two key issues: the fallout from the murder of Mr McGuigan, and the deadlock over welfare reform.

In recent weeks there was “grave” uncertainty over whether the Northern Executive and Assembly could survive this crisis.

That anxiety was heightened after, first, the Ulster Unionist Party withdrew its single Minister from the Executive and then Mr Robinson stood aside as First Minister and pulled all his other Ministers from the Executive apart from Arlene Foster who is now both acting First Minister and Minister of Finance.

Mr Robinson had demanded security commitments from Northern Secretary Theresa Villiers before he would enter talks.

Assessment

On Friday, after much behind-the-scenes discussions, that particular issue was resolved after Ms Villiers said she was commissioning an independent assessment of paramilitary organisations and criminality.

A “factual assessment” is to be carried out by three individuals, who are due to be appointed this week, with their report published sometime in mid-October.

Ms Villiers said the report would help assist the parties in their Stormont House negotiations.

Mr Robinson on Friday welcomed the commissioning and said the DUP would participate in these latest all-party talks which are due to last four to six weeks.

Today's talks are hosted by Ms Villiers and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charlie Flanagan.

The Northern Secretary urged parties to embrace the spirit of compromise.

“I recognise the scale of the task ahead. We are dealing with very difficult issues.

“But Northern Ireland’s political leaders have achieved great things over the past 20 years working together. That same spirit needs to be brought into these talks.

"We must not let this opportunity to build a brighter, more secure future for Northern Ireland slip away," added Ms Villiers.