Dublin reaction: Opposition parties regretted that full restoration of the Northern Executive had not been achieved, but said the outcome of the St Andrews talks brought a resolution closer.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said: "It is regrettable that the November deadline for the full restoration of the power-sharing institutions is not achievable. However, if the political parties are seriously committed to fulfilling their obligations within the revised timetable announced by the governments, then there can be the prospect of real progress in the early part of next year."
Given the impending retirement of British prime minister Tony Blair and the forthcoming general election in the Republic, Mr Kenny urged both governments to "resist any further slippage and to make an early assessment as to whether this new sequencing is being taken seriously by the parties.
"I will be asking the Taoiseach for an early briefing on the outcome of these talks. In particular, I will be seeking clarification of what the governments have in mind in terms of an electoral endorsement of this revised timetable, given that the Good Friday agreement has already received the approval of the public on both sides of the border," Mr Kenny added.
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said the outcome of the talks in Scotland was "somewhat disappointing" in view of the level of expectation created by both governments in advance.
"This is particularly so in regard to the planned sequencing of events and it may have been that the deadlines set by the two governments were simply too ambitious," he said.
"If the outcome of the talks is indeed that all parties now accept the police and courts and have a clear agreement on power sharing then it will represent an important step forward."
Mr Rabbitte also warned that electoral endorsement of the plan must not lead to a reinforcing of ideological poles.
"The requirement for 'some form of electoral endorsement of the plan' is a new element that did not figure in the public positions of either government before this week."
"It is essential that whatever form of 'electoral endorsement' is now sought should not lead to further strengthening of the political extremes at the expense of the more moderate parties who have done so much to bring about an end to violence to bring Northern Ireland to the position where it is today."