Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Anderson and Mr. Connolly for their contributions, which I found very interesting. Touching on where Mr. Anderson left off and where I would like to have come in, there is the idea now that Northern Ireland is in a unique position in that it can trade unencumbered with the EU and with global markets in order that there is a foot in each camp, if I may use that expression. Has there been much talk about that in Northern Ireland? Is there any space currently, given the political situation with the Assembly, for that conversation to take place? Mr. Anderson said there is probably a body of work to be done to see what the potential is. One would think on the face of it, and I am no expert, that Northern Ireland is in a unique position to cash in, if you like, on its current position as to whom it can trade with unencumbered. Regarding what Mr. Anderson said earlier and what the two earlier witnesses mentioned, and as the Chairman outlined in her earlier contribution, we all knew, and it was the eleventh hour before it kicked in, that there would always be teething problems with the way Brexit happened and it would always take time to sort these issues out, be it on mutual qualifications or whatever else. Politically, one would imagine one needs political unity, if I may use that expression loosely, in the Assembly to try to sort all these matters out.

My question across both topics is this: how much of an obstacle is the current situation with the Assembly to trying to find a solution to all these issues and getting to a point at which everyone can get behind the wheel to push Northern Ireland out as a great hub in which to do business? How much do the witnesses see the current situation in the Assembly acting as an obstacle or roadblock to that?