Sinn Féin's aim for talks on the peace process in September is to end the crisis in the process and restore the political institutions, the Sinn Féin MEP Ms Mary Lou McDonald has said.
Mary Lou McDonald
Addressing the Parnell Summer School in Co Wicklow today, Ms McDonald said the democratic position in any society is that the people should govern through those they democratically elect.
"Sinn Féin's primary political objective is a national representative democracy in Ireland. In the shorter term our objective is to see the political institutions, formed as a result of the peace process, re-established," she said.
"This is the challenge in the months ahead as we attempt to resolve outstanding issues and difficulties."
Ms McDonald, who was elected to the European Parliament in June, said that if republicans and nationalists are to be convinced that the British government is serious about making the process work, they needed to see evidence that the Belfast Agreement is being implemented positively, constructively and speedily.
"Sinn Fein's goal is to achieve a comprehensive definitive agreement on all the outstanding issues. But to achieve that, the two governments and the DUP have to play their part.
"The British government has the pivotal role in creating the context for this. So far we have seen little evidence to suggest that it is up to this challenge," she said.