Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Agreement on the protocol between the European Union and the British Government has been secured. The negotiations are over and the deal has been struck. The majority of people, political parties and business interests in the North want the Executive to be restored and those who were elected almost a year ago to get back to the business of governing.

The Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee will meet on Friday to ratify formally the legal changes to the protocol. I welcome the fact that the DUP says it is committed to the restoration of the North's political institutions, and we take its word on that. It is time now for the DUP to accept that the negotiations are over and the deal done and that a functioning Executive and Assembly should be established. It would be a huge lost opportunity on the occasion of President Biden's visit if there were no functioning institutions. Does the Taoiseach agree that the most appropriate manner in which all political parties, all of us, can mark the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement is to respect the democratic outcome of last year's election and restore the Assembly and Executive?

See this speech in context