Mr. Chris Hazzard:

I thank the delegates for their presentations. I will give some of my thoughts and perhaps ask one or two questions. I have noticed that Dr. Morrow's paper includes an idea regarding protocols for commemorations. That is an interesting proposal, on which I ask him to elaborate.

On the Statute of Limitations, having recently engaged with Dr. Julian Lewis and some of his colleagues on the defence committee at Westminster, I was genuinely astonished by the lack of understanding of what had been proposed in the Stormont House Agreement. I wondered whether there was even an awareness of what was taking place. I was also surprised by the extent to which some of those proposing an amnesty were aware that it would mean an amnesty for everybody. They did not shy away from that point and when it was put to them, they understood exactly what the legally ramifications were. We will meet the committee again when we travel to London with a range of victims. It should be an interesting meeting.

On the Oral History Archive, about which I spoke recently, is there a good international model for approaching this task? Archives of this nature have been attempted in the Balkan states and elsewhere. Are there examples we could consider and can lessons be learned from what has happened elsewhere?

I am very worried about the idea of patterns and themes, which brings us back to the issue of an amnesty and the idea that there is somehow a witch hunt under way. We talk ourselves into themes in public life, which results in the other side arguing that a counter-theme is necessary. When these themes and counter-themes develop, questions arise about who is in control of them.

I would like to see an archive separate from that and if stories are told, and if it is folklore, so be it. That is someone's story, and that is it. It stands alone. It is in there with everything else. One of the big things, certainly looking at how we deal with the past, has been the complete lack of gender perspective. I raised with Judith Thompson when she was in here lately that the failure of the British and Irish Governments to incorporate the North into their national action plans on United Nations Security Council Resolution, UNSCR, 1325 needs to be addressed and the likes of an archive and some of these other structures can help apply that gender perspective.

Apologies, I suppose much of that was rambling thoughts rather than questions. I thank everyone again for their presentations.