The importance of observing the three strands in the Stormont talks

Ireland’s foreign minister said: “It is going to report next month. I think that’s going to be an awkward period, the reporting of that. I’m sure some people are going to be put under pressure and so on.”

He added: “Of course lessons need to be learnt, and any new executive needs to take account of those lessons.”

He said that “we” should be using those lessons to fix what is broken, and then corrected himself to say it was mainly the political parties in Northern Ireland. There have to be consequences after such an inquiry, he added.

Mr Coveney is not the first person to be under the impression the probe will report next month. The inquiry is clear that this is wrong — a welcome clarification because it would be alarming if Irish ministers were formally advised as to when an internal UK inquiry will report.

The Tanaiste is right that the RHI episode will be full of lessons. It was a massive waste of public cash. But is hardly helpful for him to be saying it, given that he is deputy prime minister of a state that had endemic corruption scandals until relatively recently. Also, he has helped make this one of the most partisan on NI Dublin administrations in decades – not only over Brexit, but other issues too.

It is more important than ever in coming talks that unionists insist on strict adherence to the three strands.