Northern Ireland power-sharing faces make-or-break talks; British, Irish gov’ts could step in

Belfast government faces breakdown or breakthrough

DUBLIN — The survival of Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government is in doubt as the British and Irish governments consider another direct intervention to keep the Catholic-Protestant coalition alive.

Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen was meeting his British counterpart, Gordon Brown, Monday in London to discuss the threat to the 2 1/2-year-old administration in Belfast. Both governments may seek to broker a new round of Belfast negotiations as the coalition threatens to unravel.

The coalition’s feuding leaders, Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness, also planned face-to-face talks Monday — and McGuinness warns it could be their last.

The two sides disagree on many issues, particularly the terms for taking control of Northern Ireland’s justice system.