DUP may decide on return to powersharing before Christmas, Jeffrey Donaldson hints

The DUP is “approaching the time” for a decision on a return to Stormont, the party leader Jeffrey Donaldson has said.

There is increasing speculation the DUP is preparing to agree a deal which will see the restoration of the North’s political institutions, potentially before Christmas.

Northern Ireland has been without a functioning Assembly or Executive for more than 18 months because of a DUP boycott over post-Brexit trading arrangements.

Discussions have been taking place between the North’s five largest political parties and the UK government over a £2.5 billion (€2.9 billion) financial package which would be dependent on a restored Stormont.

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All of the parties have said the sum on offer is not sufficient to meet Northern Ireland’s financial need.

The party leaders will meet the Northern Secretary for further talks on Monday.

On Wednesday British prime minister Rishi Sunak, in response to a question from Mr Donaldson, said in the House of Commons that the UK government “does stand ready to legislate to protect Northern Ireland’s integral place in the United Kingdom and the UK internal market” and could do this “at pace”.

Speaking to the BBC’s Good Morning Ulster on Thursday, Mr Donaldson said the DUP had been engaging with the UK government and “significant progress” had been made “over the last few weeks.

“In terms of where that process is, there are still some issues we are engaged with the [UK] government on, but undoubtedly we are approaching the time when we will be able to examine where we have got to, the progress that has been made, and perhaps come to some decisions,” he said.

However, he added the timescale “depends on a number of things [and] that process has not yet completed”.

Asked if it was possible to get a deal over the line by next Tuesday, when the UK parliament rises for the Christmas recess, Mr Donaldson said: “I simply don’t know, because we’re not yet at the end of the process, the negotiations continue.

“Of course I want to get an outcome as soon as possible, but I want it to be the right outcome because we don’t want to be in this position again in six months, or a year’s time.”

Speaking to reporters outside Hillsborough Castle on Wednesday night following a round-table meeting with the Northern Secretary, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said it was now a “decision-making point for the treasury in terms of money, and for the DUP in terms of powersharing”.

“We have set out the case very, very clearly to the British government, very clearly to the treasury of what is required financially to meet the needs of the North for public services, for fair pay for public sector workers, and we need a positive response to that.

“And the case for restoring powersharing is unanswerable at this stage, and we’ve equally made that case,” she said.

– Additional reporting: PA