Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams take a break yesterday

The long-running talks involving the North's political parties resumed yesterday afternoon at Hillsborough amid "cautious optimism" that a deal can finally be agreed.


The talks had broken up in the early hours of yesterday morning but resumed around lunchtime. The main focus of talks during the afternoon was on Sinn Féin and the DUP.


Taoiseach Brian Cowen and British prime minister Gordon Brown were being kept regularly briefed by foreign affairs minister Micheál Martin and northern secretary Shaun Woodward, who are supervising the negotiations.