Joint authority Northern Ireland: Irish Taoiseach Michael Martin claims return to direct rule not possible for Northern Ireland

His calls were also echoed by Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald, who first made her claim on Friday last week.The Taoiseach said if the institutions are not reformed in time the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference “kicks in”.“The Good Friday Agreement provides for meetings of that in respect of close consultation with the Irish government in terms of matters pertaining to Northern Ireland,” he said.He added: “In the event that there is a sustained period with no functioning of the Northern Ireland executive body assembly, there cannot be a return to the direct rule arrangements of the past.“And the Government will fully pursue its consultative role under the Good Friday Agreement, that is the position that we will exhaust every possibility within that framework if there is a sustained period of absence of the executive or the assembly.”He also reiterated his plea for the DUP to facilitate the restoration of the Northern Ireland institutions.“I made it clear to the DUP that they should come back into the assembly, facilitate the restoration of the assembly and the executive. It is a denial of democracy not to do so,” he told the Dail parliament.“I’ve been very consistent since the election that the results of the election should be vindicated. The people have voted and the results should be reflected in the composition of the executive.”

Also today, Sinn Fein reiterated its claim that the DUP boycott of Stormont over the Northern Ireland Protocol would result in joint authority.Party President Mary Lou McDonald said unionists need to understand “wrecking” the Stormont institutions will not result in direct rule.She told the Irish parliament: “Political unionism has to understand that wrecking the institutions of government will not usher in direct rule from London.“If the restoration of the executive in Belfast is blocked indefinitely by the DUP, the only alternative would be an arrangement of joint authority between the Irish state and the British state.She added: “The six-month deadline to form an administration expires on Friday.”“Our message to the DUP is clear: end your boycott, join with us, work with us together in an executive to tackle the cost of living, to fix the health service and to make people’s lives better.”“This is in line with the position taken in 2006 by the Irish and British governments, when facing into a deadlock situation.”Also today, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood MP said he has written to Stormont party leaders asking them to support Joint Authority if an Assembly and Executive is not formed in the coming months.

He said: “We cannot allow the situation to drift aimlessly and the SDLP has been firm, there can be no return to direct rule from Westminster. I’m asking every party leader to acknowledge the situation facing us and to back Joint Authority from both the British and Irish governments to provide stability in the months ahead.

Meanwhile, newly reappointed Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has reiterated his vow to call an Assembly election if a powersharing executive is not formed at Stormont by Friday