Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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146. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will seek reform of Stormont to prevent the Executive being held to ransom in the future. [14000/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The full and effective operation of all of the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement is a key priority for this Government.

The people of Northern Ireland are entitled to a functioning Assembly and Executive. Their vote in last May's Assembly elections must be respected so that the political leadership and institutions required to address the issues facing communities and families can be advanced.

I remain in regular contact with political representatives in Northern Ireland, reiterating the urgent need for a functioning Assembly and Executive.

The Government will always remain open to discussion and engagement within the parameters of the Good Friday Agreement. For instance, as part of the New Decade New Approach Agreement, the Northern Irish Parties and the British and Irish Governments agreed to reform use of Petitions of Concern, in order to bring increased stability and democratic accountability.

There must always be room for the Northern Irish parties and the British and Irish Governments to look together at the institutions to ensure that they work for the Northern Ireland of today, which is very different to 1998. Any institutional evolution to reflect these changes would raise complex and important issues, needing careful, inclusive reflection best done in a context where the power sharing institutions have been restored to full operation.