Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I did not come to ask questions but to see whether I could learn anything. The proceedings have been very interesting. Ms Logan emphasised that the talks had been based on trade and human rights. It reminds me of the time we got over the fence at Shannon Airport to highlight the human rights abuses emanating from the decision to allow it to be used as a US military airbase. The thinking was we could not stop the Americans from using the airport because it could affect foreign direct investment. At one stage we were in Ennis where a fellow spoke to me in a public house. He was selling sandwiches at the airport and did not want us to get over the fence to highlight the US military's use of the airport as it might impact on his sandwich sales.

Professor Harvey spoke about the deficits in Northern Ireland, the ongoing crisis in the area of human rights and equality and the lack of legislative and constitutional support for the Good Friday Agreement. Why has there been a lack of appetite on the part of the British and Irish Governments to make this happen? Does he believe the Northern Ireland Assembly must bear a huge amount of the responsibility for this?