The truth seems to be that a regional government in Northern Ireland is barely possible

The question must now be asked given the decision by the Secretary of State Brandon Lewis to push forward with abortion services available in other parts of the United Kingdom — whether Northern Ireland is capable of governing itself?

The Good Friday/Belfast Agreement was spawned as far back in 1998 and there is no sign since, of effective, reliable, or stable government or any government at all regionally for that matter.

This is not the first time the secretary of state has gone over the heads of Stormont in legislation of executive power and it looks like being a feature of Northern Ireland for the foreseeable future because an executive cannot be formed.

It is said that ‘time is the herald of truth’ and the truth seems to be that a regional government in Northern Ireland is barely possible, but very unlikely to succeed in the long-term.

All it has been capable of so far is to be able to limp along while going on the blink when it feels like it.

When there has been some kind of government, it failed to prevent corruption at the administrative level with the infamous RHI scandal and an ineffectiveness to deal with legacy issues.

It is all very well to criticise direct London rule in Northern Ireland, but an irony presents itself when one asks would devolution ever work?

Alliance despite their bigger share of the middle vote has not changed the status quo of failed devolution.

The people of Northern Ireland cannot wait forever for devolution to work and that’s certain.

The business of government must go on, rather than having elections which result in no government, but only to harden entrenched positions and create new obstacles to progress.

Northern Ireland would be better off under direct rule, rather than having politicians becoming well paid, pensioned, and perked, who do nothing while courting the limelight of the media with words instead of actions.

Maurice Fitzgerald, Shanbally, Co Cork

• Ben Lowry May 21: There’s been a shift in London towards sympathy for NI over protocol

• Ben Lowry May 21: I do love Bangor, but it is hard to think of it as a city

• John Redwood May 20: The government must act soon over Protocol – NI unionists want their country back

• Owen Polley May 19: Expect full-tilt lies and hysteria in weeks ahead over Protocol

• Ben Habib May 18: There isn’t even a real threat of unilateral action on protocol

• Jim Allister May 17: Boris Johnson flew into NI with weak message on the protocol

• Ruth Dudley Edwards May 17: Thank you Lithuania for pursuing Omagh bomber

• Owen Polley May 16: Getting rid of the protocol is more important than the return of Stormont

• Henry McDonald May 14: Will Boris Johnson deliver beyond his rhetoric?

• Ben Lowry May 14: Here are six of the broad reasons for the recent turn against unionism, some of which are reversible