Britain and Ireland on Friday restated their desire to get the Northern Ireland executive back up and running by October 28, a joint communique issued following an inter-governmental conference said.

"The UK and Irish Governments reaffirmed their commitment to doing everything possible to facilitate the re-establishment of the Executive by 28 October and the full functioning of all of the political institutions established by the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement," said the communique, published by the British government.