Dr. Anthony Soares:

I will try to address the points made and then try to link them. I will start with the question on the long-term vision for the charter and the next steps. This relates back to some of the comments made by Deputy Kenny at the outset, where he noted there has to be some sort of arrangement in terms of where we are going with Brexit. I agree with that. However, it is vital that, whatever the arrangement is, that arrangement listens to and is shaped by communities on the ground, North and South, east and west, and that we are all involved in coming to whatever the arrangement is. Otherwise, we will end up with a structure that is not fit for purpose and end up with remedies that are short-term and do not address the needs of communities. It is vital that, as we move forward, we listen to communities, North and South, close to the Border and away from the Border.

In all sorts of sectors, community organisations are already involved in conversations. The Rural Community Network is involved in conversations in co-operation with similar organisations in England, Wales, Scotland and here in the Republic of Ireland. It is supporting them and allowing those conversations and that co-operation to continue. It would be tragic if we were to lose that connectivity and that dialogue.

Deputy Kenny also mentioned that the European Union has a responsibility in terms of what happens here. The EU has already made a commitment that it wants to support the Republic of Ireland, in particular, but the island of Ireland as a whole in how it deals with Brexit and how it moves forward. The Irish Government has also made a similar commitment but we are waiting for one important partner, which is the UK Government, to show its commitment. It is a commitment that needs to be made because the UK is a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, which represents the totality of relations within and between these islands. The UK Government must live up to that commitment.

That returns us to the question of what are the next steps for the common charter. We want to scale this up, involve more organisations and involve more administrations. We are in conversations with political representatives from Scotland, Wales and England, and, obviously, although it is a bit more difficult at the moment as there is no Executive or Assembly, with political representatives in Northern Ireland.

I hope that will resolve itself.

We also want to highlight the fact this is not just about the Good Friday Agreement. Relations are not just about those between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland or between Ireland and the UK as a whole or the UK Government. Scotland and Wales are part of the Good Friday Agreement and strand three binds us all together. The administrations there also have a responsibility to ensure their communities in Scotland and Wales are given the opportunities, structures and funding to continue these vital relationships in and between these islands. The next step in the terms of the charter is to ensure those conversations lead to a point whereby a proper structure is in place that is fit for purpose and encourages relations between community groups throughout these islands so they continue their dialogue and co-operate and exploit opportunities. A potential tragedy is that we will miss out on existing connections to exploit opportunities just because of administrative obstacles or the structures not being there to enable us to exploit those opportunities. That is where we are going with a common charter. We want to ensure administrations throughout the islands put in place the structures community groups need to continue the work many of us already do in terms of co-operation at the Border, wider co-operation on an all-island basis, North and South, and co-operation east and west.