Sinn Féin MLA Conor Murphy has said the Irish and British governments must prioritise restoring the Executive and Assembly through a joint approach.

Speaking after a meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, the finance minister said:

“Top of the to-do list of the Irish and British governments must be getting the Executive and Assembly up and running now.

“They have a responsibility to deliver a joint approach that prioritises the restoration of power-sharing and the political institutions of the Good Friday Agreement.

“We need an Executive formed now to help workers and families who are struggling with the cost-of-living emergency and people suffering on chronic hospital waiting lists.  

“People need help now. They need ministers around the table and working together to invest £1 billion in the health service and to put money in people’s pockets.”