UK government in denial over Dublin's Good Friday Agreement role: Alliance deputy leader Stephen Farry

His comments are in response to the Tories’ outright rejection of a call to set up an inquiry into the functioning of the Good Friday Agreement.

The call had come in the form of a report from the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, which also suggested that the government re-write parts of the 1998 Northern Ireland Act (the law which gives force to the agreement) to rename the heads of government “Joint First Ministers”, among other things.

The committee said all this should be done "in close consultation with the government of Ireland".

But these proposals drew a blunt reaction from the UK government, which said “a review of the Agreement, or amendment of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 is not being considered at this time," adding that issues around how Northern Ireland is government “are, and will remain, a matter for the UK government along with the NI parties" – not for Dublin.

The comments have in turn prompted Dr Farry to say: “The response from [the government] to this report is really disappointing.

"There is a leadership role for both the UK and Irish governments, and the UK's position is one of denial.

"Instability and unfairness remain embedded in the current rules and without meaningful reform, the danger of further collapse continues."

DUP MP Carla Lockhart, who is a member of the committee but completely disagrees with the proposals it had made, praised the government for its stance, saying: “‘I welcome the fact that the government has batted away suggestions that reform of devolved institutions could be railroaded through without cross-community consent in Northern Ireland or with a role for the Irish government.

"The Belfast and St Andrews Agreements make it clear that Strand One matters are the responsibility of the UK government and the local parties, not Dublin. That principle must be respected.

"The Secretary of State is also right to reject calls for a wholesale review of the current arrangements. The Alliance Party in particular have made no secret of the fact that the purpose of such a review would be to sideline and denigrate unionists.”

Strand One is a reference to the main one of the Good Friday Agreement’s three parts: the bit which deals with Northern Ireland’s government (how the NI Assembly works, how laws are passed, and respect for the desire of most citizens to remain in the UK).

The other parts of the agreement, Strands Two and Three, deal with bodies that meet occasionally so ministers from both Dublin and Belfast can discuss cross-border issues, and similar bodies which meet to discuss GB-Ireland issues.