article: Theresa Villiers said there was a "thorough consideration" of some key elements of the Stormont House Agreement on Wednesday. This included reform of the public sector to release resources for frontline public services. The talks are to resume on Thursday. "The Northern Ireland parties carried out a thorough consideration of some key elements of the Stormont House Agreement designed to make devolution work better," Ms Villiers said. "We also continued our detailed discussion of finance and welfare issues, including reform of the public sector to release resources for frontline public services. "The differences between the parties are still very significant on these issues, but I do sense a willingness to make progress. "Tomorrow, we focus on the impact of paramilitary activity and legacy issues such as the new Stormont House Agreement institutions to help address the concerns of victims and survivors." Meanwhile, Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan has addressed the Irish parliament about the political situation in Northern Ireland. He said that "contrary to some recent reports, the institutions for dealing with the past set out in the Stormont House Agreement would not convey an amnesty" for those who had committed a crime. "The new Historical Investigations Unit provides for police investigation and, where there is an evidential basis, the prospect of justice," he added. "The Independent Commission for Information Retrieval, to be established by the two governments, is intended to allow individuals to seek information about Troubles related deaths where there is no realistic prospect of prosecution; information provided to the commission for this purpose would not be admissible in court. "However, the Stormont House Agreement makes it clear that no individual who provides information to this body will be immune from prosecution for any crime committed should the required evidential test be satisfied by other means and this will be reflected in the agreement establishing the body." The round-table talks between Northern Ireland's political parties are aimed at finding a resolution to the crisis at Stormont. The political row was triggered by a police assessment that IRA members were involved in the murder of former IRA man Kevin McGuigan Sr last month. Police said the IRA still existed, but added that it was not engaged in terrorism. Analysis Mark Devenport BBC Northern Ireland political editor There are different things that may bring this talks process to a conclusion. One is that the financial clock continues to tick away under the Stormont Executive. Another is that Peter Robinson stood down for a six-week period and, if there isn't some sort of revolving mechanism dreamt up by the DUP, that should be running out, I think it is 22 October. So that might put a little bit of a back-stop to the talks. Certainly, he wouldn't, I would have thought, want to come back into the job without having seen something from this panel which gives him cause for satisfaction. Three Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) ministers subsequently resigned from Northern Ireland's ruling executive, and Peter Robinson, the party's leader, stepped aside as first minister. The DUP and the Ulster Unionists agreed
summary: The Northern Ireland Secretary has said she senses a willingness among the political parties to make progress despite significant differences on finance and welfare reform issues.