Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan has said a form of progress has been made in the talks aimed at resolving outstanding issues in the Northern Ireland peace process.
Mr Flanagan and Northern Ireland Secretary of State Theresa Villiers met representatives of the five main parties together at Stormont today.
It is the first meeting since the new initiative to break the deadlock over flags, parading, and the past began four weeks ago.
Various papers on the main issues have been circulated among the parties and the Irish and British governments.
Mr Flanagan said the time had come to intensify what had been a useful exercise over the past number of weeks.
Mr Flanagan and Ms Villiers are due to give an interim report of how the talks are proceeding to Taoiseach Enda Kenny and British Prime Minister David Cameron by the end of this month.
