Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will brief. I thank the witnesses for coming here today and for giving us an insight into what is happening.

I thank my colleague, Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan, also for bringing this issue to the fore. I am shocked and saddened by what I have heard today. I can only imagine the witnesses' frustration. All of them have been doing Trojan work for the past few years, and I thank them for that. I hear them when they say that at times they felt like walking away. I imagine that comes from the frustration of not being heard. I know what that is like. I have worked in the addiction field for many years and I know what it feels like to try to highlight issues and not be heard. I understand that frustration. I hope they do not walk away because they are probably the only bit of light, and hope, the prisoners have.

I do not have the political jargon and I hope it is appropriate for me to say this. Forgive me if it is not. Would it be a good idea to consider putting together some type of political steering group made up of people the witnesses have already met such as Deputy O'Sullivan and Sinn Féin representatives? We could work together, and we could use this committee. People are interested in this area. They want to help the situation and support the witnesses without trying to make more work for them. We could bring people from the parties in the North who are interested in this area and start working together on going forward on this issue. Some strategy might be put together with a view to making a change. I have no doubt the witnesses have tried everything, but what are their thoughts on that?