TANÁISTE Simon Coveney expects the latest Stormont talks process to "intensify" over the next fortnight.
The Fine Gael deputy leader was speaking in Belfast yesterday after co-chairing, alongside Secretary of Sate Karen Bradley, roundtable talks with senior representatives of the five main parties.
The latest round of negotiations aimed at restoring the devolved institutions are now in their third week, however, expectations of a breakthrough ahead of Thursday's European election have been low.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and British Prime Minister Theresa May are scheduled to assess progress in the talks at the end of the month.
Mr Coveney said the two leaders would receive recommendations on how the negotiations should proceed at the end of next week.
A number of working groups chaired by serving and retired senior civil servants have held a series of meetings since the talks were convened following the local government elections earlier this month.
"I think you will see an intensification now of efforts from the leads within the working groups to try to move toward consensus in the areas where that is possible, and if there are areas where it is not possible they will outline why," the Tanásite said.
Mr Coveney said if a basis for agreement was identified, Mrs May and Mr Varadkar would discuss how to move the talks process forward.
"I suspect it will be a more political and direct approach after that if there is a basis for finding an agreement, which I hope there will be," he said.
Asked whether an independent mediator could enter the process at that stage, Mr Coveney said he did not think that would happen.
"We are trying to get this process done quickly – the idea that we would introduce an outsider now, albeit a very well-meaning and potentially very experienced outsider, I don't think is consistent with trying to get this done quickly because it would take time to get to know that person to build the relationships, and so on," he said.
Mr Coveney also acknowledged that events at Westminster at the start of June, when a departing Mrs May would again try to get her Brexit deal passed by MPs, could prove a distraction for the Stormont process.
"It doesn't take a genius to see that there will be other pressures in Westminster in the first and second week in June when we are also trying to conclude things here," he said.
Sinn Féin deputy leader Michelle O’Neill described yesterday's all-party meeting as a "positive exercise".
She said her party had held a series of meetings with groups from civic society, including the churches, trade unions, women’s groups and language groups.
“It crucial that wider civic society is bringing their concerns and aspirations into these talks because all parties and both governments need to hear a clear message about the impact of the ongoing denial of rights and the damage caused to our public services by sustained year on year budget cuts imposed by the British government," Ms O'Neill said.
"These issues need to be addressed by the talks if we are to establish credible and sustainable institutions that treat all on the basis of equality."
