She would not budge on the Irish Language Act.
Updated at 20:10
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has expressed his "regret" over Arlene Foster's statement, arguing that power sharing and working together is "the only way forward for Northern Ireland."
https://twitter.com/campaignforleo/status/963848834429472769
Update ends
DUP leader Arlene Foster says the British government should take over direct rule in Northern Ireland once more, following the collapse of talks to restore power-sharing.
Foster refused to relax her stance on Sinn Féin's proposed Irish Language Act, which would protect the Irish language as a minority language in the North.
The DUP want any legislation to also take in aspects of Unionist culture.
Foster now wants Northern Ireland to fall back under the Direct Rule of the United Kingdom, as she called for
Her statement read:
'For almost four weeks, we have been engaged in intensive negotiations with Sinn Fein. We have attempted to find a stable and sustainable basis for restoring devolution. Those discussions have been unsuccessful.
'Despite our best efforts, serious and significant gaps remain between ourselves and Sinn Fein especially on the issue of the Irish language.
'I have made it consistently clear that unionists will not countenance a stand alone or free standing Irish Language Act. Sinn Fein’s insistence on a stand alone Irish Language Act means that we have reached an impasse.
'As far back as last summer, I outlined my party’s willingness to reach an accommodation on language and cultural issues. However, I indicated that any such accommodation must be fair, balanced and capable of commanding support on all sides of our community. At the moment, we do not have a fair and balanced package.
'After the Assembly election, I embarked on an engagement exercise with those who love and cherish the Irish language. I respect the Irish language and those who speak it but in a shared society this cannot be a one-way street. Respect for the unionist and British identity has not been reciprocated.
'In our view, there is no current prospect of these discussions leading to an Executive being formed.
'It is now incumbent upon Her Majesty’s Government to set a budget and start making policy decisions about our schools, hospitals and infrastructure. Important decisions impacting on everyone in Northern Ireland have been sitting in limbo for too long. I had dearly hoped that we could have restored an Executive and local Ministers could have taken those decisions. That is not possible at this time. Northern Ireland is best governed by local Ministers who are accountable to local people.
'Restoring a sustainable and fully functioning devolved government will remain our goal but we will not accept a one-sided deal.
'Any agreement to restore the Executive must be on a sensible basis. We cannot and will not be held to ransom by those who have refused to form an Executive for over thirteen months.'
