NOBEL laureate Mairead Maguire has issued an appeal for the north's politicians to "give leadership by sitting down together on an executive".
Ms Maguire, who won the Nobel prize in 1976, is urging political leaders to "work for the good of all the people whose deepest longing is for peace".
In a statement issued last night, Ms Maguire said "our hands are tied by our elected politicians" which has left the community "in limbo".
"The vast majority of people in Northern Ireland, whose main desire is to live in peace together, earn a living and raise their families, are currently living in a no-man's land," she said.
"Our hands are tied by our elected politicians, especially both main parties, Democratic Unionist Party and the Sinn Féin, refusing to take up their political responsibilities and sit down together in an executive and assembly and reach consensus on what are not insurmountable or life threatening issues.
"In the meantime in the community, the fact that the political decisions on matters of health, education, culture, environment are in limbo, with funds cut or on hold, lives are being disrupted, destroyed and the frustration and anxiety of the community deepens with no end in sight, no hope to hold onto."
She added that the refusal of politicians to "compromise, insisting they will not take their seats at the executive until their political wish-list is met.... is not democracy in action and is not politically acceptable".
"I therefore would like to appeal to our elected politicians to give leadership by sitting down together on an executive to work for the good of all the people whose deepest longing is for peace," she said.
