Policy background Talks to restore the Northern Ireland Executive
In February 2018, Northern Ireland’s main political parties embarked on a new phase of talks aimed at restoring the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly. However, after 2 months of talks, the DUP and Sinn Féin (who, as the two largest parties, are entitled to the First and deputy First Minister posts respectively) were unable to reach an agreement.
	On 26 April 2019, the UK Government and the Irish Government announced a fresh round of political talks. The talks between the UK Government, the Irish Government and the five Northern Ireland political parties, in accordance with the three-stranded approach set out in the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, commenced on 7 May.2 Following extensive discussion and negotiation, the talks have not yet been able to reach a conclusion. In light of the significant uncertainty ahead across the UK the Government believes that an extended window is needed.