OFFICIALS from the Irish and British governments are working with Sinn Féin and the DUP to avert a crisis which could collapse the Stormont Executive and force an election.
Sinn Féin has yet to confirm that it will nominate Martin McGuinness as Deputy First Minister on Thursday when DUP leader Peter Robinson's name goes forward to replace the Rev Ian Paisley as First Minister.
Under Assembly rules, First Minister and Deputy First Minister are joint positions which cannot be filled independently. The resignation of Dr Paisley means both roles must be filled at a special Assembly session. Sinn Féin leaders are due to meet British prime minister Gordon Brown in Downing Street today to discuss the future of the Executive against what they see as failure to achieve progress on policing and justice powers and on Irish language provisions. The meeting follows contacts yesterday with Taoiseach Brian Cowen's office and Downing Street.
A senior Sinn Féin member said last night that the party was not commenting on Thursday's nominations but was concentrating on what it sees as unresolved issues contained in the St Andrews Agreement which paved the way for last year's restoration of the Stormont institutions. "We haven't got into any speculation," the source said. "What we are trying to do is sort out the outstanding St Andrews issues. We are not privately or publicly going beyond that."
According to Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams these "outstanding issues" relate to the devolution of policing and justice powers to Stormont and to an Irish Language Act - both key Sinn Féin demands. "These are key issues of democratic accountability and equality," he said.
"Progress has been made over the course of the past 12 months in bedding down the political institutions. It is Sinn Féin's intention that this work is built upon in the time ahead, including progress on the outstanding issues. We continue to be involved in detailed discussions aimed at achieving this. That is our focus at this time."
DUP chairman Lord Maurice Morrow warned Sinn Féin last night against collapsing the Executive and forcing an unwanted Assembly election. Accusing Sinn Féin of brinkmanship, Lord Morrow said: "If they think this is going to get them a concession, then they are up the wrong street. I suspect they have got that message by now."
DUP leader Peter Robinson may also hold talks with Mr Brown in London, although this has not been confirmed.
Failure to nominate candidates for both First Minister and Deputy First Minister could also lead to a one-week suspension of the special Assembly sitting before an election is formally declared.
SDLP deputy leader Dr Alasdair McDonnell accused Sinn Féin of "talking up a crisis around the position of Deputy First Minister to cover up their disastrous negotiating mistakes at St Andrews and subsequent political failures".
He said: "Sinn Féin are blustering and briefing about a crisis because they are in a DUP trap on the Irish Language Act, on the Maze and on devolution of justice and policing. They built their trap themselves and then they walked into it. The Sinn Féin-DUP axis is coming apart at the seams as the DUP blocks them at will in the Executive, just as we predicted."