Mr. Conor Murphy:

For many years, we have supported the re-establishment of the civic forum, an outstanding matter under the Good Friday Agreement. This committee has undertaken to perform an audit of outstanding matters, including the all-Ireland consultative forum and a Bill of rights. As a consequence of the St. Andrews Agreement, Acht na Gaeilge is another outstanding matter.

The reality is that unionism has been hostile to the idea of a civic forum, an all-Ireland consultative forum, a Bill of rights and a review of the North-South implementation bodies and has used its position in the Executive and the OFMDFM to veto any development in or discussion of these matters. This is where the problem lies. There is an appetite in civic society across Ireland-----