Reaction to ministerial nominations

Politicians give their reaction to efforts to nominate a first and deputy first minister to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

IAN PAISLEY, DUP LEADER

Ian Paisley said Sinn Fein must support the police

Clearly as Sinn Fein is not yet ready to take the decisive step forward on policing, the DUP is not required to commit to any aspect of power-sharing in advance of such certainty.

The circumstances have not been reached where there can be a nomination or designation this day.

If and when commitments are delivered, the DUP would enter government.

GERRY ADAMS, SINN FEIN LEADER

The DUP say they have difficulty sharing power with republicans.

Gerry Adams nominated Martin McGuinness as deputy first minister

Let me tell you that many, many nationalists and republicans are very concerned at the prospect of Sinn Fein sharing power with the DUP.

But that is also a challenge that we must rise to and we must face together. I believe that none of the difficulties facing us are insurmountable.

SIR REG EMPEY, ULSTER UNIONIST LEADER

I think the question on everybody's lips is whether or not Dr Paisley has made a nomination.

Sir Reg Empey said the DUP and Sinn Fein were moving toward power-sharing

If sufficient bottle does not exist to say whether or not they have nominated. That is a matter for the people to judge.

It requires to be clarified as to whether or not we have witnessed a marriage or an engagement today.

The one thing that is quite clear is the trajectory of where we are going - and the trajectory of we are going is to power-sharing between the DUP and Sinn Fein. That is absolutely clear.

MARK DURKAN, SDLP LEADER

There is as much hollow farce as there is historic significance in what we have witnessed this morning.

Mark Durkan said the DUP and Sinn Fein were deadlocking the process

A simple test was set for parties for today and we are failing that test.

The manner in which these proceedings are being conducted under the remote direction of the secretary of state where language and logic has been turned inside out and on its head.

We need to recognise that the slippage that we all criticise the government for allowing actually stems from the slippiness of two political parties who are claiming to lead this process but are deadlocking this process yet again.