DUP confirm there will not be a return to power sharing before Christmas

Stormont no entry
The DUP have said there will be no return to Stormont before Christmas Credit: UTV

The DUP has ruled out a deal to restore devolution in Northern Ireland before Christmas, UTV understands.

The government was hoping to restore Stormont before parliament finishes for the holidays on Tuesday.

There was speculation that a restoration deal was close, but the DUP have confirmed that the process is not yet complete.

A party spokesperson said: “The DUP is condition-led not calendar-led" on negotiations.

Finance talks at Hillsborough Castle are set to continue on Monday.

Updates to follow.

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