DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson predicts Executive will finally reach agreement on Covid restrictions - ‘when the will is there, there is a way’

A third executive meeting in three days broke up on Wednesday night without consensus emerging.

Ministers will resume discussions today, less than 24 hours before regulations lapse, with many businesses in the dark on whether they will be able to open tomorrow.

But speaking on RTE’s Morning Ireland today Sir Jeffrey Donaldson predicted that the executive would be able to reach agreement today.

When asked about whether the party would agree to a compromise plan put forward by the Alliance Party he said: “We will look very carefully at what is being proposed by the other parties, including Alliance, and we will seek to reach a consensus on this.

“We need a consensus in the executive and that is what we are working to achieve.”

Speaking to the BBC Mr Donaldson said: “We recognise time is of the essence here - we do want to get a decision made. We will do everything we can do get that arrangement,

“I’m not going to accept there will be a negative outcome - when the will is there, there is a way.”

Today is the fourth day in a row the executive has met on the issue and unless ministers decide otherwise, restrictions in place since last month will end at midnight.

Yesterday the DUP vetoed a second proposal from health minister Robin Swann to extend the circuit-break measures, this time by one week.

The other Stormont parties then voted down alternative proposals tabled by DUP economy minister Diane Dodds that would have seen a partial reopening of the hospitality sector.

Alliance justice minister Naomi Long then tabled a hybrid proposal that fused Mr Swann’s one-week extension with Mrs Dodds’s measures being introduced the week after.

No vote has yet been taken on Mrs Long’s proposal and it is understood they will form the basis of renewed discussions on Thursday morning.

The DUP supports a partial reopening of hospitality and close-contact services from Friday.

Mr Swann has warned his ministerial colleagues that doing nothing “needs to be avoided” at all costs and that some mitigations to curb the spread of coronavirus must be retained.