Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to visit Stormont

The British Government's new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is making his first official visit to Belfast today.

Chris Bryant will meet the parties involved in the Stormont Executive in a series of meetings.

The MP for Rhondda and Ogmore in Wales was appointed by new UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham earlier this month following the shock sacking of his predecessor Hilary Benn.

Speaking shortly after his appointment, he described the task ahead as "daunting", saying he was in "listening mode."

"I want to be very clear from the outset: my door will be open to all parties and all communities. We are going to work together constructively to keep building a stable, prosperous future for everyone in Northern Ireland," he said in a statement.

The local parties are likely to put that willingness to listen to the test.

Issues at the top of the agenda will be the continuing lack of an agreed budget for Stormont and the ongoing controversy over how best to deal with the legacy of the Troubles.

The parties involved in the devolved administration rarely agree on anything, but when it comes to finances and the absence of an agreed budget they point the finger of blame towards Westminster, accusing it of drastically short changing Northern Ireland.

Chris Bryant will face immediate calls to use his office to push for more funding to be made available from the UK Treasury.

Legacy issues will also feature prominently in today's talks, with widespread criticism of how Labour is handling its pledges to repeal and replace legislation introduced by the previous Conservative government.

The Irish government is also watching developments on that issue closely.

Westminster sources familiar with the Welsh MP have said there is a strong possibility he could fall out with local politicians due to what they have described as his "abrasive" nature.

He's likely to discover quickly that politicians in Northern Ireland can take abrasive to a whole new level.