Stormont passes Belgian record - 589 days without government
Stormont has passed Belgium's record of 589 days without government.
However, it will not be registered for an official world record due to Westminster's involvement.
The Assembly collapsed with the resignation of former deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness on 9 January 2017.
That was in relation to the RHI scandal.
Various attempts at resurrecting the Stormont power-sharing Executive have ended in failure since.
Secretary of State Karen Bradley has negated to take major decisions in the meantime or to introduce direct rule, instead favouring an approach that would allow the parties to get back round the table.
Speaking at a peace conference recently, Good Friday Agreement signatory and former leader of the Women's Coalition here, Monica McWilliams called for action.
"We can't be overcome at this time in Northern Ireland by pessimism any more than we were in the past," she said.
"All of us suffered tragedies, and those victims more than anyone, are prepared to reach out so that we never go back.
"That's the lesson from our anniversary of the Omagh Bomb and that's the message I think for now.
"We can't afford to drown ourselves in pessimism.
"We have a problem, but there is a solution and it's about time we got to it."
It was a view reinforced by former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, speaking at the same conference at QUB.
"Now people seem to think that the solution is the two parties, the DUP and Sinn Fein, should get around the table and solve it.
"But we're now 20 months on and that hasn't happened and I just don't get it."
There have been rumours of a new talks process to begin again in Ocotber, but nothing has yet been confirmed.