Prime minister to visit next week

Mr Brown will hold talks with local parties

It is understood that the prime minister is to visit Northern Ireland on Tuesday of next week to hold talks with the local parties.

DUP and Sinn Fein ministers met on Tuesday to consider the logjam in Executive business.

One source said the politicians were knuckling down to the issues.

Downing Street will not comment for security reasons, but it is thought Gordon Brown is touring the UK in the run up to the Labour party conference.

BBC NI Political Editor Mark Devenport said it was not clear whether the visit was timed to apply pressure to the current round of party talks.

"It is due two days before 18 September, the date on which the DUP leader Peter Robinson has insisted an Executive meeting must take place. If not, the first minister has warned of serious consequences," he said.

"But today the mood seemed calmer as the two parties' ministers held talks inside Stormont castle."