Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To be honest, the focus of the conversations has been on trying to get stability and a return to a functioning Executive and Assembly as soon as possible after the election. This has been a divisive election, and that is not a criticism of the parties. At present, there is significant work to do to get the Assembly to elect a Speaker and to function and, importantly, to get an Executive up and running so Northern Ireland can ensure that people from Northern Ireland who are directly elected by people in Northern Ireland are making political decisions on their behalf. There are obstacles to that happening. There is no justification for a refusal to enter those devolved government structures. Certainly, having a functioning Executive in Northern Ireland would assist in trying to resolve some of the outstanding issues linked to the protocol and other issues, such as legacy, that we have to deal with as well. That will be our focus in the days and weeks ahead.

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