MP Stephen Farry says DUP boycott is 'seriously scarring Northern Ireland'

The devolved institutions at Stormont have been collapsed for almost two years. Senior DUP figures held discussions on Friday on potentially ending the boycott but no decision was reached.

“This is seriously scarring Northern Ireland,” Mr Farry said of the suspension of devolved government on the BBC’s Sunday Politics programme.

“We’re not simply parking issues – real damage is been done every single day as this situation goes on.”

Mr Farry said Mr Heaton-Harris is likely to invoke a “fairly light touch intervention” when he announces his next move.

“I think he will take on an increased level of powers to intervene in terms of decision making in Northern Ireland,” he said.

“That raises all sorts of issues around scrutiny, accountability, and indeed, what sort of Irish dimension will come to play in that regard.”

SDLP MP Claire Hanna said in response to the DUP’s meeting that Northern Ireland’s people are in a “crazy waiting room”.

“I’m glad we’ve got most of the kind of Game Of Thrones stuff out of the way because it is maddening for people that we’re all in this crazy waiting room and that the DUP’s internal psychodramas are allowed to set the pace,” Ms Hanna told the BBC’s Sunday Politics programme.

“I don’t know exactly what happened – I’ll defer to the experts – but I do know that we have enormous pressing concerns in public services and in people’s faith and belief in politics.

The DUP have previously criticised parties calling for an immediate return – accusing them of dismissing the concerns of unionist voters and undermining the basis of powersharing in Northern Ireland.

The party says it is trying to obtain stable institutions which command the support of both the unionists and nationalist communities.