By Cate McCurry, PA
Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis said he wants to see a stable Stormont emerge in the weeks ahead.
Mr Lewis also said he wants to see the political parties in the North deliver on commitments made in the January 2020 New Decade, New Approach deal.
Mr Lewis made the comments as DUP leader Edwin Poots met the party’s Assembly members.
Mr Poots is expected to announce changes to the party’s ministerial team this week.
Former leader Arlene Foster said she will step down as the North's First Minister if Mr Poots makes any changes to her ministerial team.
Speaking in Hillsborough, Co Down, on Tuesday, Mr Lewis said the region’s political leaders want to see a stable Assembly and Executive.
“That is how we deliver for the people of Northern Ireland,” he added.
“The things I have been hugely impressed with over the last year or so is the way that, despite coming back into office and the Executive just weeks before Covid came upon us, the Executive has worked together through that period to focus on the people of Northern Ireland.
‘Working together’
“People across the community want to see the Executive working together, delivering on the New Decade, New Approach commitments that everybody made and delivering for the people of Northern Ireland.
“I would be very keen for all party leaders to want to see that going forward.
“I am very hopeful we will see that in the weeks ahead.”
Mr Lewis added: “I think it is the reality that people across Northern Ireland, they had three long years without any government locally.
“Having Stormont come back based on the New Decade, New Approach deal, that’s what people want to see that delivered on and Stormont being stable, focused on the issues that matter to people in everyday lives.
“I think all the party leaders are acutely aware of that and I think they do want to work towards having a good stable Executive, and I will certainly be doing all I can to work with them and talk to them as I have done over the last few days.”
