Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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91. To ask the Taoiseach if he has recently met the UUP, SDLP and other Northern Ireland opposition parties; and his plans to do so. [2784/17]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Following Martin McGuinness’s resignation, I met with Deputies Adams and MacDonald of Sinn Féin to explore how the difficulties might be addressed. I also spoke by phone with both Martin McGuinness and Arlene Foster.

I spoke with Prime Minister May and we agreed that our two Governments would do what we could to help the parties over the coming period and that we would keep in close contact. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan, and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, James Brokenshire, worked together to see if a way forward could be found.

Minister Charlie Flanagan spoke with SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood and Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long on January 10 and with UUP Leader Mike Nesbitt the following day. In parallel, there have been very close contacts at official and diplomatic level.

Unfortunately, a way forward could not be found and the date for Assembly elections has now been set for 2 March.