Dublin comments "unhelpful" as efforts to restore Stormont continue, says Chris Heaton-Harris

Northern Ireland’s Secretary of State has said there may be an "evolution of process" in restoring the Executive.

However, Chris Heaton-Harris added "Unhelpful comments" from Dublin are resonating with unionists across the country.

The SOS said that he would not abandon efforts to bring back the Executive, but said it was impossible to put a timeframe on when the devolved Assembly would return.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that the stalemate cannot be allowed to continue forever, and added that "alternative arrangements" may need to be considered if the DUP does not agree to end its boycott.

Chris Heaton-Harris and Leo Varadkar were in Belfast, with European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic, to launch a new joint peace funding programme.

The powersharing institutions have been collapsed for more than a year as the DUP seeks further assurances from the UK Government about post-Brexit political and trading arrangements following the signing of the Windsor Framework.

The framework, negotiated by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak earlier this year and approved by Parliament, proposes reduced checks on goods travelling directly to Northern Ireland from Great Britain, to reduce trade barriers within the UK.

Mr Heaton-Harris said: "I think devolution can be restored and, to be frank, I don't think it would be a Plan B because, whatever was happening, we'd be constantly trying to make sure that the executive got back up and running.

"So, it would be an evolution of process rather than an alternative to try and get the executive. But both those two things can run together.

"I'm keen to make sure that we come to a conclusion and the executive is up and running in the shortest period of time.

"And as I just said, talk of Plan B is unhelpful because whatever is going on, we need to be trying to get the Executive up and running."

Mr Varadkar said confidence is "starting to wane" among NI parties that it will be possible to get the Stormont institutions up and running again.

The Taoiseach said: "I don't want to put an artificial deadline on it, work is ongoing, talks are still ongoing.

"But I think we all appreciate they can't be ongoing forever.

"I think if it is advancing at all, it's advancing at a snail's pace, and I know from talking to all five main parties here that confidence is starting to wane about whether it is going to be possible to get the Assembly and the Executive up and running.

"I am worried about that; I am certainly not giving up on it. We are willing to help in any way that we can.

"But there does come a point at which the stalemate can't go on forever."

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