No prospect of deal to restore Northern Ireland executive — DUP leader

Luke MacGregor | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Arlene Foster, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), left, waves as Nigel Dodds, deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), looks on as they pose for photographers on the steps of number 10 Downing Street, during their arrival for a meeting with U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May, in London, U.K., on Tuesday, June 13, 2017.

There is no prospect of Northern Ireland’s main parties agreeing to restore devolved government, the leader of the largest unionist party said on Wednesday, calling on Britain to take further financial control of the province.

“In our view, there is no current prospect of these discussions leading to an executive being formed,” Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster said in a statement, two days after the British and Irish prime ministers said they were hopeful a year-old stalemate would soon end.

“It is now incumbent upon Her Majesty’s Government to set a budget and start making policy decisions about our schools, hospitals and infrastructure. Important decisions impacting on everyone in Northern Ireland have been sitting in limbo for too long.”