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BBC Ireland correspondent Chris Buckler reports
Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers is to meet Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness as the crisis around power-sharing deepens.
She is facing an ultimatum from First Minister Peter Robinson to address his concerns about secret letters given to republicans classified as "On the Run".
The DUP leader had made his resignation threat after the trial of Donegal man John Downey collapsed.
Mr Downey denied killing four soldiers in the 1982 IRA Hyde Park bombing.
Mr Robinson said he was not prepared to remain as first minister in a power-sharing government "kept in the dark" about the letters to republican paramilitary suspects.
Continue reading the main storyMinutes of a NI Policing Board meeting in April 2010 indicate that members were briefed on the matter of On the Runs. Three members of the DUP were present at that meeting.
However, there was no mention of any letters being sent to On the Runs in that briefing.
The first minister met the secretary of state for about an hour on Wednesday night, following his resignation threat. Mr Robinson has asked for the assembly to be recalled on Friday.
Anyone already convicted of paramilitary crimes became eligible for early release under the terms of the Northern Ireland Good Friday agreement of 1998.
The agreement did not cover:
- Anyone suspected of, but not charged with, paramilitary offences committed before the Good Friday Agreement.
- Those who had been charged with offences but who had escaped.
- Those who had been convicted of offences but who escaped.
Mr Robinson has called for letters to those On The Run, which give assurances to the suspects that they are not being sought by police, to be rescinded. He has also called for a judicial inquiry.
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) sources said he is prepared to resign and call an election if necessary.
He gave the government until Thursday night to respond to the crisis.
He intends to make a statement to the assembly on Friday but what he says will depend on how the government deals with the issue.
On Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said more open discussions should have been held with Northern Ireland's first minister over the letters.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast Mr Clegg said: "With the benefit of hindsight, a much more open discussion with Peter Robinson should have been held at an earlier stage."
He said the coalition had inherited the system established by the previous government.
Mr Clegg said the government knew about the system but responsibility for the way in which it was administered was devolved.
DUP Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said: "We need to see a public inquiry to find out who knew what, when and why it happened, and how it happened, despite the fact we were given assurances that there wouldn't be any amnesties, that there wouldn't be any legislation brought to deal with On the Runs.
"We are in a crisis, we need to sort this issue out. People on the ground feel very let down and feel that their government has deceived Peter Robinson and the rest of us in government here in Northern Ireland."
The case against Mr Downey collapsed because he was mistakenly told in a letter in 2007 that he was no longer a wanted man, despite the fact that police in Northern Ireland knew he was still being sought by Scotland Yard.
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