The first meeting of the British-Irish Council in Belfast and the initial North/South Ministerial Council meeting had been expected this week.

Officials are still attempting to organise a cross-border ministerial council meeting for the end of this month but it seems more likely to be delayed until September.

For the appearance of political symmetry and cross-community balance, it had been intended that the North/South Council would meet just a few days before the first British-Irish Council meeting in Belfast.

That had initially been pencilled in for this Friday July 6 but was postponed because new Prime Minister Gordon Brown was not available to attend, according to senior Stormont sources.

The North/South Council could, however, have gone ahead today and some planning had already gone into a major set- piece event.

What was effectively the inaugural meeting of Ministers from Dublin and Belfast had already been delayed by the general election in the Republic.

The Office of the First and Deputy First Minister said yesterday that both meetings would take place on the "earliest date that the heads of the various governments are available".

It is understood, according to party sources, that could be September.

It has also emerged that the Executive will not hold any meetings during August because many of the Ministers are on holiday.

The Assembly, meanwhile, held its last plenary session yesterday before the summer recess. Many departmental committees, however, intend to continue meeting during July.