Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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114. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on negotiations in Northern Ireland. [41861/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Government is determined, as co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, to do everything in our power to ensure that all of its institutions are operating effectively, including the devolved Assembly and power-sharing Executive in Northern Ireland and the North-South Ministerial Council.

I remain in regular contact with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, James Brokenshire, on how both Governments can best continue to support and encourage the parties in achieving that essential objective. We spoke most recently on 2 October and agreed that some progress is being made in the current discussions between the parties. In the first instance, the two largest parties whose mandates entitle them to nominate a First and deputy First Minister need to reach an agreement to form an Executive. In this context, I have welcomed the sustained engagement between the DUP and Sinn Féin over the last number of weeks. In my ongoing contacts with the parties, I have encouraged them to continue this engagement to achieve a resolution that will allow the devolved institutions of the Good Friday Agreement and the North South Ministerial Council to start operating again.

In the period ahead, I will continue to work with the Secretary of State and the political parties in Northern Ireland to support an agreement on the formation of a new power-sharing Executive for Northern Ireland within the mandate of the current Assembly.