Fianna Fáil and the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) in Northern Ireland have announced a partnership.

The two parties will work together as Fianna Fáil considers running candidates in the North.

A full merger between the two parties had been suggested but won't go ahead for now.

Speaking at today's announcement with the SDLP's Colum Eastwood, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said there's a crisis in Northern Ireland and more needs to be done to plan a new way forward.

He said: "Fianna Fáil and the SDLP have shared much and have achieved much over the years. So it was obvious that we should discuss ways that we might work together at this time of crisis.

"The focus of our discussions has, at all stages been on how to develop a new agenda for Northern Ireland and for Ireland as a whole." 

He added: "There is a desperate need to shift the focus away from an obsession with who holds power and onto the much more important issue of what is done with that power."

“I am proud of the fact that our parties have agreed to share this work and I look forward to its impact in the months and years ahead. “ - @MichealMartinTD #AnIrelandforAll pic.twitter.com/lrXNOeuWIh

— Fianna Fáil (@fiannafailparty) January 24, 2019

With 12 MLAs, the SDLP is the third largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly - although the assembly itself hasn't sat for two years.

The party currently has no MPs in the House of Commons, having lost its three seats in the 2017 election.

Mr Eastwood described the new partnership as an "unprecedented and historic" move. 

#AnIrelandForAll pic.twitter.com/6xed0QpBQO

— SDLP (@SDLPlive) January 24, 2019