Taoiseach hopes for return of Stormont Executive in early January

Taoiseach Leo Varakdar has said he hopes the Stormont Executive can be restored early in the new year ahead of a deadline for calling new Assembly elections (Niall Carson/PA)

Taoiseach Leo Varakdar has said he hopes the Stormont Executive can be restored early in the new year ahead of a deadline for calling new Assembly elections.

Mr Varadkar also said that he believed MLAs should should come back under current rules with any reform of the powersharing institutions negotiated ahead of the next Assembly election.