David Ford said: “So much distance has been travelled that we must successfully complete the journey. As always, political talks in Northern Ireland appear to be a marathon, not a sprint. It is very frustrating for the public and that is why it’s all the more essential that a deal is done.
“Alliance will be back at Hillsborough first thing in the morning to continue our constructive role in forging a deal.
“We are tantalizingly close to a breakthrough and I do not think that any of the parties can allow this effort to fail. We have a duty to the public and they will not accept failure on the part of the DUP and Sinn Fein.”
ENDS