Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis has urged the five main party leaders to form an executive "as soon as possible".
Mr Lewis spoke separately with leaders including Sinn Féin's deputy president Michelle O’Neill, and Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, leader of the unionist DUP party, stressing the importance of maintaining peace and stability in Northern Ireland.
The Tory minister encouraged them all to "come together and agree on a way forward" in order to deliver a stable government.