Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams says enormous patience will be needed over the next few months to secure the devolution of policing and justice.

Mr Adams was speaking following progress in talks on the matter with the DUP, which has been blocking the move on the grounds that unionists still don't have enough confidence in the IRA's future intentions.

Sinn Fein the DUP have now agreed that neither party will put forward a nominee for the job of policing and justice minister, but there is still no deal on when the job will be created.

Mr Adams said today that unionism appeared to be in a process of realignment and this was causing frustrating delays.