Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has blamed the DUP for the impasse which had lead to a prospective three-month gap between Stormont Executive meetings.

And he has implicitly called into question the leadership qualities of First Minister and DUP leader Peter Robinson, who is now on holiday.

Speaking on the day the first Executive meeting for a month had been scheduled, Mr Adams said despite the DUP agreeing a process of negotiations in June there had been no engagement.

He said that there were those in the DUP opposed to partnership government who wanted to advance issues of concern to themselves and block others.

The DUP, however, said it was Sinn Fein which has failed to agree to Executive meetings taking place since June 19.

And the refusal of Deputy First Minster Martin McGuinness to co-sign 30 Executive papers already signed off by Mr Robinson is causing difficulties in the process of government.

Some ministers have decided to proceed unilaterally on a number of fronts and seek Executive approval retrospectively. But as things stand there will be no more Executive meetings before the middle of September, an overall gap of 11 weeks.

Mr Adams said: “There are difficulties which need resolution if a crisis is to be avoided. In early June the DUP committed to a process of negotiations to resolve all of the outstanding matters — and these go beyond the issues of the transfer of powers on policing and justice and an Irish Language Act.

“Essentially these are about getting as required by the agreements, a fully functioning and cohesive government delivering on all issues which effect citizens in their daily lives on the basis of equality.

“The fact is that despite all Sinn Fein’s efforts there has not been a proper engagement or process, and these issues have not been satisfactorily addressed.

“There are real and pressing issues out there — rising fuel costs; increases in the price of food and general cost of living increases, including a real crisis in the housing market.

“People expect the Executive and the institutions to be dealing with these matters but this can only happen on the basis of partnership government. That is Sinn Fein and the DUP, and the other parties, working together constructively within the Executive and institutions. There are those within the DUP who are opposed to this.

“They seek to advance narrow issues of concern only to themselves while they block matters of concern to others as well as issues which are in the common good. So, this is down to a question of leadership and political will.” DUP junior Minister Jeffrey Donaldson accused Mr Adams of “grand-standing”.