Emergency meetings over Northern Ireland crisis

First Minister Peter Robinson is scheduled to meet Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness in Belfast, while Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen will fly to London to discuss the situation with his opposite number, Gordon Brown.

McGuinness’s Sinn Fein party, who want a united Ireland, have accused their power sharing partners – Robinson’s DUP, who support continued links with London – of deliberately stalling the transfer of policing and justice powers from London to Belfast.

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has branded today’s meeting as a "defining engagement," while Gordon Brown has identified this as a “critical week of decision for Northern Ireland.”

Speaking before his trip to London Prime Minister Cowen said, "I'll be working with Gordon Brown in the coming days to get this matter resolved."

Sinn Fein and the DUP have also failed to agree on the handling of loyalist parades. The marches, which take place annually between April and August, have been known to attract controversy when venturing through or near a predominantly catholic area.

As well as devolution and parade issues, the recent talks have been hindered by the uncertainty facing the first minister’s position. Robinson has temporarily stood aside as first minister due to a sex and money scandal concerning his wife. However, he is still leading negotiations over the devolution dispute.

Iris Robinson, also a Northern Ireland politician, resigned from her position following revelations that she funnelled 50,000 pounds through property loans to her 19-year-old lover.

The 1998 Good Friday Agreement largely brought an end to violence in Northern Ireland. However, tensions have heightened with republican dissidents claiming they were responsible for the murders of two British soldiers and a policeman last year.