A Belfast High Court ruled on Monday that civil servants cannot make major decisions normally taken in Northern Ireland by Ministers. A judicial review there ruled that civil servants had no power, in this case to approve a planning application, but the expectation is that it is likely to have consequences for other significant administrative decisions. It is clear the Westminster Government is consumed by Brexit. There seems to be little progress in restoring an Executive in Northern Ireland. Is there any initiative under way by Government to facilitate the restoration of power-sharing and an Executive in Northern Ireland or are we going to face a situation where there is simply no effective authority to implement normal administrative procedures in the North of the island?

I share the Deputy's frustration and concern but my job is to get things moving, which is what I am trying to do. In the past week, there have been some positive developments in Northern Ireland with regard to the launch of a public consultation process around legacy which is something we have been awaiting for quite some time. It is hugely important to many families in Northern Ireland.

What we got from a court decision this week is a reminder that the status quo is not okay in Northern Ireland in terms of normal basic decisions that impact on people's lives and livelihoods. In this case it was a decision that said a civil servant was not empowered to make the decision he or she did on a planning application for an incinerator. There are a lot of other decisions stacking up now. There are hundreds which need political input. They need a Minister in a devolved government to make a decision. Those decisions are not being made.

I am speaking to the Secretary for State of Northern Ireland to ensure she can take a practical approach to making important decisions. We want to do it in an appropriate structure. Ultimately, we continue to talk to parties to try to find a way forward to return Northern Ireland to the devolved governance it should have. In the absence of that, we are drifting in a way that is very concerning for many decisions that need to be taken in Northern Ireland.