An emergency meeting is being called to save the power sharing institutions in Northern Ireland.

The devolved administration is facing collapse after they failed to reach a deal on controversial welfare reforms.

Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan will lead the Irish government delegation to the meeting with the British and Northern Irish representatives.

It is due to take place on Tuesday.

The crisis was sparked by the failure of the assembly to pass a welfare reform bill, agreed in Westminster in 2013.

The nationalist parties at Stormont introduced a petition of concern - essentially a veto - which requires any bill to have sufficient support from both unionist and nationalist parties to go through.

By July if no agreement has been reached, it is possible the British government could take over and may impose the welfare cuts that have been applied to England and Wales.