▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁that ▁union ism ▁lost ▁its ▁majority . ▁The ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁election ▁witness ed ▁a ▁ 9 . 8 % ▁increase ▁in ▁turn out ▁throughout ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁as ▁it ▁stood ▁at ▁ 6 4 . 7 8 %. ▁ ▁By ▁law , ▁a ▁government ▁should ▁have ▁been ▁set ▁up ▁by ▁ 2 7 ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁following ▁the ▁election ▁or ▁else ▁the ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁is ▁obliged ▁to ▁call ▁another ▁election ▁within ▁a ▁" reason able ▁period ▁of ▁time ". ▁The ▁then - Secret ary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁James ▁Bro kens hire ▁extended ▁the ▁tal ks ▁dead line ▁by ▁early ▁May , ▁threaten ing ▁direct ▁rule ▁if ▁the ▁parties ▁did ▁not ▁form ▁a ▁government . ▁Day - to - day ▁running ▁of ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁has ▁been ▁left ▁in ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Civil ▁Service ▁and ▁the ▁top ▁civil ▁servant , ▁David ▁Ster ling , ▁is ▁responsible ▁for ▁man aging ▁Northern ▁Ireland ' s ▁money . ▁ ▁The ▁tal ks ▁dead line ▁was ▁extended ▁again ▁until ▁ 2 9 ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁ow ing ▁to ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Ther esa ▁May ' s ▁decision ▁to ▁call ▁a ▁snap ▁general ▁election . ▁The ▁ 2 9 ▁June ▁dead line ▁passed ▁and ▁Bro kens hire ▁extended ▁the ▁dead line ▁once ▁again . ▁The ▁UK ▁Parliament ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁pass ▁a ▁budget ▁for ▁the ▁on going ▁financial ▁year ▁ 2 0 1 7 - 1 8 ▁which ▁would ▁then ▁release ▁the