No agreement on vital Assembly committee chair

The first meeting of the Preparation for Government Committee ended at Stormont today without a decision being reached on who should chair proceedings.

Representatives from each of the main parties showed up for the meeting, however they were unable to agree on a chairperson.

Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness suggested that the committee be either jointly chaired by representatives of this own party and the DUP or rotated between the parties, however the DUP rejected this proposal.

Both Sinn Fein and the Alliance Party have accused the DUP of adopting a negative attitude to the committee.

DUP leader Ian Paisley denied his party was not taking the committee seriously by sending unimportant party figures to represent it. The DUP then proposed the Assembly Speaker, Eileen Bell, as a possible chairperson, but she rejected the role before leaving the meeting.

They also suggested their own party member South Antrim MP William McCrea and the Alliance Party leader David Forde for the role, however, Mr Ford said he would only consider the role as part of a wider rotation system between all the parties.

Mr McGuinness has called for a second meeting on Tuesday, however, it is unclear at this stage whether this will happen.

Earlier today, DUP leader Ian Paisley said that he was requesting a two-week extension on the November 24 deadline in what he described as injury time.

Mr Paisley has expressed that he is disappointed that assembly debates have not been called by the Secretary of State.

On May 15, Northern Ireland MLA's took their seats at Stormont for the first time since 2002.

The local assembly was suspended following allegations over an alleged republican spy ring, which was subsequently proven to be false.

(EF/SP)