The British and Irish governments are to intensify political negotiations with the five main Stormont parties in an effort to reach agreement on the resumption of power-sharing.
A joint statement issued by the Taoiseach and the British prime minister this evening said that in recent talks consensus had been reached on some issues but other areas remain to be resolved.
Leo Varadkar and Theresa May urged the Northern Ireland parties to engage substantively on the shape of a final agreement.
The Tánaiste, Simon Coveney, and the Northern Ireland Secretary, Karen Bradley, are due to resume their discussions with Stormont parties tomorrow.
Power-sharing collapsed in January 2017 following a row between the two main parties, the DUP and Sinn Féin.
The joint statement from Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Prime Minister May said there was "a genuine but narrow window of opportunity" to reach agreement.
"It is clear to us that the Northern Ireland political parties wish to see the institutions of the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement restored, but operating on a more credible and sustainable basis.
"While broad consensus has been reached on some issues, other areas remain to be resolved.
"We believe it is imperative that the parties now move without delay to engaging substantively on the shape of a final agreement."
Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald said: "The next phase of talks must move from the aspiration to re-establish the institutions to actually reaching an agreement that delivers for all."
She said that Sinn Féin’s negotiating team had engaged fully and "will move to the next phase with a determination to resolve the outstanding issues".
