Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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47. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has spoken to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Ms Karen Bradley, recently. [37665/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am in ongoing engagement with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Karen Bradley, as both Governments continue to work together as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement, to address the ongoing absence of the power-sharing Executive and Assembly in Northern Ireland, as well as the North-South Ministerial Council.

I met with Secretary of State Bradley most recently on 24 August and on 17 September in Dublin and remain in regular contact by phone.

I have conveyed to Secretary of State Bradley the Government’s deep concern at the continuing impasse with the devolved institutions, which she shares.

Both Governments are determined to get the devolved institutions up and running again and I am actively engaging with Secretary of State Bradley on how that can now be most effectively advanced.

I am hopeful that in the period ahead it will be possible to commence a political process to get beyond the current impasse and seek an agreement between the parties on operating the devolved institutions again, consistent with the full and effective implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent Agreements.

I do not underestimate the way to go in achieving that, but I firmly believe that a resolution is possible and that the calls from across all sections of the community in Northern Ireland for the devolved institutions to operate will be heeded.

I will continue to engage intensively, working with Secretary of State Bradley and the leaders of all of the political parties, to seek a way forward that will give the best prospects for getting the devolved institutions operating again as soon as possible.

The devolved, power-sharing institutions are at the heart of the Good Friday Agreement and are the best means for achieving accountable, representative decision-making for all the people of Northern Ireland.

The Good Friday Agreement is the indispensable framework for providing stable, inclusive, power-sharing government for all the people of Northern Ireland and for sustaining our interlocking relationships – within Northern Ireland, on the island of Ireland and between the UK and Ireland.

The Government will continue to everything in its power, consistent with its responsibilities as a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, to secure the effective operations of all of the institutions of the Agreement.