Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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6. To ask the Taoiseach if he has spoken to Ms Arlene Foster or Ms Michelle O'Neill since and in view of the results of the election in Northern Ireland on 2 March 2017. [11614/17]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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7. To ask the Taoiseach his plans to engage with the political parties in Northern Ireland following the Assembly elections. [12046/17]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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8. To ask the Taoiseach if he has spoken to Secretary of State Brokenshire or Prime Minister May since the Northern Ireland election results. [12053/17]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 8, inclusive, together.

I spoke by telephone to Prime Minister Theresa May on Sunday following the outcome of the Northern Ireland Assembly elections. We agreed to speak again when we meet tomorrow, Thursday, at the European Council in Brussels. During our phone conversation we agreed that early engagement by the political parties in Northern Ireland is required with a view to re-establishing a functioning Executive as soon as possible, and to address outstanding issues under the agreements. We also agreed that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, James Brokenshire, would engage together with the parties over the coming days. They are to meet in Belfast today, and are probably meeting as we speak.

There is a three week window for the formation of a new Executive. The political parties have each received fresh mandates. Particular responsibilities attach to the two parties, the Democratic Unionist Party, DUP, and Sinn Féin, which are entitled to nominate a First Minister and deputy First Minister to engage with each other and to advance discussions with all eligible political parties on the formation of a new Executive. Dealing with outstanding issues from previous agreements will be necessary to create confidence at this critical moment for devolution in Northern Ireland. All parties eligible to nominate Ministers to the Executive will be invited to participate in these discussions which, in accordance with previous agreements, will be facilitated by the two Governments. That is why the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Secretary of State are there today.

The Minister, Deputy Charles Flanagan, has spoken to party leaders to congratulate them on the electoral mandate they have achieved and to encourage them to play their part in creating the conditions that allow for the formation of a new power-sharing Assembly and Executive. The heart of the Good Friday Agreement is its interlocking political institutions. However, they can only be sustained on the basis of partnership, equality and mutual respect. As a co-guarantor, the Irish Government is determined to uphold the principles of the Agreement and to protect its institutions. In the coming weeks, we will work with all concerned to see the power-sharing Assembly and Executive restored to effective and harmonious operation. I hope it can happen.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach will agree that the fundamental duty of everybody elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly last week is to work with others to get the institutions functioning in the interests of the people. Reports last night stated that the first day of discussions resulted in a Sinn Féin walk out on funding for legacy issues. This is a far from encouraging start, particularly given that it does not relate to the specific issue which brought down the Executive and on which the election was triggered. There is no evidence, so far, of any significant changes in the positions of any of the parties, and the opening dynamic is not good, to say the least.

The drift and growing tribalism in the Executive during recent years happened at exactly the time when London and Dublin took a decision to step back and leave it to the DUP and Sinn Féin. If there is one clear lesson from recent years it is that disengagement by the two Governments is damaging and must be permanently reversed. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Charles Flanagan, is participating in the talks. Will the Taoiseach assure us that he will continue to participate up to the point where a conclusion is reached? If the Northern Ireland Executive is not re-established soon, what arrangements will be made to ensure Northern Ireland has a voice on Brexit? At the recent civic dialogue on Brexit, the very clear message from those who spoke for Northern Ireland, representing the civil dialogue, was the absence of a coherent voice from Northern Ireland on Brexit and real alarm about the fact that people were not engaged in the most important issue to face Northern Ireland and the entire island in a generation.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I agree with the Deputy that it is the duty of everybody elected the Northern Ireland Assembly to see that the Assembly operates, an Executive is set up and that it sets out an agreed set of objectives to be implemented. In the previous Executive, the then First Minister, Arlene Foster, and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, agreed on a set of objectives and forwarded a formal notice of it to the British Prime Minister and to me. The Deputy's point is important. A democratic decision has been taken. There are changed numbers in respect of the parties. They have a duty to get together and I hope they can do so.

The Minister, Deputy Charles Flanagan, will continue to engage on behalf of the Government as co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement and successive agreements. We will see the negotiations through. I do not like to assume the Members of the Legislative Assembly would automatically seek an extension beyond the three weeks. I have agreed with the British Prime Minister that a return to direct rule would not be in anybody's interests. I hope it can be dealt with in the three weeks. If not, legislation will be introduced to extend the time or introduce direct rule. If it is not dealt with in the time, the voices that were heard at the all-island sectoral forum will have to be transmitted as part of the negotiations.

I have reflected on that so I hope that it will be possible for the Executive to be set up and to have a First Minister and deputy First Minister.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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It is not simply that the numbers have changed in the composition of the Assembly, although that is true as Deputy Micheál Martin has noted. Something much more fundamental and significant has happened, not least the fact that the Unionist majority in the Assembly is now gone. This changes everything and there needs to be a moment of reflection, as the Taoiseach urged earlier, for people to absorb that fact.

Another thing has happened, which is the absolute demand on the ground, not just an expectation, that agreed matters should be implemented. Sinn Féin does not need a pep talk from anybody in that regard. We are up for doing business. We want the power-sharing institutions to work. They can only work, however, on the basis of delivery. The Taoiseach is the co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, the St. Andrews Agreement and the Fresh Start agreement - the list is very lengthy - but the fact is that Dublin and London are in default in respect of commitments entered into and this needs to be fixed. From Sinn Féin's point of view it is not a case of us being obstructionist; we want the institutions. The message from the ground, however, is clear. Matters agreed must be delivered. I believe this to be a reasonable expectation in a democratic society.

On the issue of the legacy inquests, we welcomed the remarks by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, at the Pat Finucane lecture in which he urged the British Government to resource the legacy inquests and he backed the proposal of the Lord Chief Justice. This is essential. It would be £10 million in monetary terms and it is a confidence measure that is needed.

I would like to make one other point if I could have a chance to come in.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy is out of time, I am sorry.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the deep consideration of critical issues. It is noted and appreciated.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I do not-----

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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This set-up is mad. To have two minutes to speak on issues such as this is crazy.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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This is the procedure that has been in place for a period of time.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I appreciate that.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I did not invent the procedure.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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I fully appreciate that, and I am simply expressing a view on it.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I resent the Deputy's insinuation.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Assembly numbers have changed but it is very clear that there was a Brexit element to the vote and people were very clear in that. Obviously the parties will now get together. I am glad to hear the deputy leader of Sinn Féin say the party does not want to be obstructionist, that it wants an Executive set up and an Assembly functioning. We all share the view that what has been agreed here should be implemented. I engaged with the then Prime Minister, David Cameron, on the Fresh Start agreement around legacy issues of the past. In dealing with Ballymurphy, the hooded men, Pat Finucane, the Birmingham Six, Kingsmill and so on, the Fresh Start agreement contains the opportunity and the potential to address these. It has got to be tested. The theory is that if someone has lost a loved one or a family member and wishes to have the information supplied to him or her about all of the issues and circumstances surrounding that, then it should be made available. That is the agreement. It could be made available through the independent, objective adjudication of international and other figures. That is an issue we need to get back to. It was not possible to do it in Fresh Start but that is contained within that agreement. I agree that what has been agreed should be able to be implemented. There have been difficulties with this is in the past but it must be dealt with.