DUP MP Ian Paisley has said it could be an "ice age" before Stormont power-sharing is restored.
He rubbished speculation that the Executive and Assembly could be revived in the autumn, saying there are "still substantial hurdles that have got to be crossed".
The North Antrim MP also said a "multi-billion-pound package" is needed from the UK Government to address Stormont's budget problems.
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Northern Ireland is facing significant real-term cuts to public services amid soaring inflation and pressures including public sector pay demands.
Stormont parties have called for extra funding, but Secretary of State Chris Heaton Harris has said any Treasury package would be dependent on a "proper" plan for restoring devolution.
The DUP has been blocking Stormont power-sharing until their concerns are addressed around post-Brexit trading with Great Britain under the Northern Ireland Protocol and the Windsor Framework.
Mr Paisley told BBC's Nolan Live the "idea that the Assembly's coming back anytime quickly is for the birds".
On speculation that Stormont could be restored in the autumn, he responded: "I'm rubbishing that. I don't see where that's coming from.
"I'm rubbishing that because it's being put about by our political enemies to try and say the DUP, we're just being hypocritical, we're fighting the election, trying to get the cover, and then go back in.
"That's not what it's about. We care about this place. We want to see it working. But it doesn't work if these laws are in place that prevent our trade flows from working properly."
Asked how long it may take to restore Stormont, Mr Paisley said: "Given the speed with which the Secretary of State understands these things, I mean, it could be an ice age away.
"He's got to grasp these issues quite quickly and recognise that he's got to move fast."
Mr Paisley said there are "still substantial hurdles that have got to be crossed" and his party's seven tests for restoring devolved government "have still got to be met".
The MP added: "We have had the BBC, we've had national broadcasters, we've had governments, we've had Prime Ministers, we've had presidents flown in, to castigate our party and say all these issues are trivial. They're not and until they're fixed, how on earth could we even contemplate restoring an Assembly that still won't address these issues?"
Mr Paisley said Stormont's budget pressures would not be resolved by immediately restoring the power-sharing institutions.
He argued a "multi-billion-pound package" is needed from the UK Government.
The MP said: "Under the current arrangements the government has so starved the Assembly of resources and budgets and finance that even if you were a minister in that government you couldn't run any department because you wouldn't have enough budget to do it.
"And so that issue will have to be addressed as well before anyone with any sense would want to go into an administration that was created."
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