A plan B could be needed if there is no progress in restoring the Northern Ireland Executive by autumn, Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar has said.
Mr Varadkar met Northern Ireland’s main political parties on Wednesday.
He also visited Windsor Park stadium where he told reporters the Irish government will “do everything that we can” to assist in terms of political support or co-funding infrastructure projects.
Northern Ireland has been without a functioning executive and assembly for more than a year due to the DUP’s protest against post-Brexit trading rules.