Sinn Fein has rejected a DUP bid to restore the Assembly and resolve division over cultural issues.

Leader in the North Michelle O’Neill said establishing a powersharing administration that may collapse after a matter of months over the same problems would only fail the people.

She claimed Arlene Foster’s latest proposal to break the political talks stalemate was nothing new and had been made knowing it would be rejected.

The Democratic Unionist chief called for a “common sense” solution appointing Stormont ministers alongside a time-limited process for making progress on the red line issue of an Irish language act and Ulster Scots.

Mrs O’Neill said: “This parallel process has been discussed and disregarded throughout the course of all the negotiations we have had to date.”

The intervention demonstrated unionists had not listened to or acknowledged the reasons for Martin McGuinness’ resignation from the head of devolved government which prompted its suspension earlier this year, she said.