Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I concur with what the Deputy said in respect of threats against Jeffrey Donaldson, the leader of the DUP. Those threats are absolutely reprehensible and unacceptable. Whatever one's views, I have been very consistent on the need to restore the Executive and the assembly, in line with Deputy Burke's comments. I have been assured by Jeffrey Donaldson that he also wants the Executive restored. He has made that point to me consistently since the collapse. From reading reports and so on, I am aware that there are challenges within the DUP in the context of bringing about a decision that would lead to the restoration of the Executive and the assembly. The failure to restore the institutions would be very serious in terms of the Good Friday Agreement and the architecture relating to it. From our perspective, and notwithstanding that it represents strand one of the three strands, it impacts significantly on strand two, which includes the North-South Ministerial Council and other bodies. Everything is limited and hampered by the absence of the North-South Ministerial Council and a fully working Executive and assembly.

More fundamentally, I passionately believe that once an election is held in any jurisdiction, it should be followed by the convening of an assembly or parliament and the formation of a government.

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