Northern ireland Assembly

Proposed deal to restore devolved government in Northern Ireland; a letter from Northern Secretary Julian Smith to the speaker of the Stormont Assembly asking him to arrange an “urgent meeting” of the Northern Ireland Assembly tomorrow; Tánaiste Simon Coveney and Mr Smith address journalists outside Stormont in Belfast tonight

Tonight.

In Belfast.

RTÉ’s Northern Correspondent Vincent Kearney tweetz:

“BREAKING: Irish + British governments Simon Coveney and Julian Smith say they believe they have basis for agreement to restore Stormont Assembly. Now up to Northern Ireland’s five main parties to say whether they back proposed deal.”

The 62-page proposed deal, entitled New Decade, New Approach, can be downloaded in full here.

NI proposals ‘provide basis’ for agreement – Coveney (RTÉ)

Sinn Féin has come within touching distance of polling the most first preference votes in the Northern Ireland Assembly election.

The Democratic Unionists maintained the top spot, despite their vote share falling as the Sinn Féin share surged.

The DUP notched 225,413 first preferences, down 1.11 percentage points on last year, to Sinn Féin’s 224,245 – an increase of 3.89 percentage points.

In terms of the overall picture, the DUP secured 28.06% of first preferences to Sinn Féin’s 27.91%.

The final break-down of seats may not be as close, as results in the proportional representation contest rely on transfers from other parties, but the republicans were nevertheless buoyed by the result.

FIGHT!

Live A third of seats filled in Northern Ireland election (RTÉ)

Earlier: Could Be A First

Illustration: BBC

Update: