The Sinn Féin leader has expressed disappointment that US President Joe Biden will not be addressing Stormont.
Mary Lou McDonald said that 25 years on from the Good Friday Agreement "the eyes of the world are on Ireland and the North of Ireland in particular and we have a limbo situation".
Speaking after the 1916 commemoration service in Dublin today, Ms McDonald said that US President Joe Biden should be received by "First Minister Michelle O'Neill and should be addressing the [Stormont] assembly".
Ms McDonald shared the view of some, that Mr Biden's visit to Northern Ireland is more "low key" compared to the engagements that are scheduled in the South.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin Vice-President Michelle O'Neill said that it is "realistic" and a "necessity" to have the Northern Ireland institutions up and running again in the coming months.
Ms O'Neill said that the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement should be a time of "hope" and "opportunity".
She said that the fact that Mr Biden will not be addressing the Stormont Assembly and that his visit to the North will be relatively short represents a "huge missed opportunity" at a time when she said parties "could have been talking about investment, creating jobs, all those positive things".
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will meet Joe Biden off Air Force One when he arrives on Tuesday evening, and Mr Biden will take part in a series of engagements in Belfast including a formal meeting with Mr Sunak.
Mr Sunak will also address the "Agreement 25" conference at Queen's University on Wednesday before hosting a gala dinner.
State dinner for Biden at Dublin Castle
The Taoiseach will host a State dinner at Dublin Castle during Mr Biden's visit to Ireland.
Leo Varadkar said that he believed it will be a "very good" and "successful" visit to Ireland.
Mr Varadkar will also host a bilateral meeting with Mr Biden at Farmleigh next Thursday.
Asked if he was disappointed that Mr Biden would not be addressing Stormont, Mr Varadkar said he was not.
He said that that the visit required "a lot of coordination" between the US, British and Irish governments, but the US President's itinerary was being driven by Mr Biden himself.
After Mr Biden leaves Northern Ireland on Wednesday, he will visit counties Dublin, Louth and Mayo.
US army aircraft spotted on Cooley Peninsula
A number of US army aircraft have been spotted on the Cooley Peninsula in Co Louth today.
Mr Biden is expected to visit both Carlingford and Dundalk during his trip.
Chinooks and marine one helicopters were seen landing and taking off from a local GAA ground in the area today.
