Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is important to acknowledge the work that our guests do in facilitating difficult and challenging conversations, away from the public eye and the speculative nature of the media, which is less than positive when it comes to those difficult situations.

The Chairman mentioned funding. I read from the briefing that there are particular physical needs at the centre. What is the extent of the funding that is needed and what will happen if it is not provided? How many staff has the organisation?

We know there is a demand for the centre's work. Is the centre turning away a number of demands because of constraints? I would like to get a sense of what the centre is unable to do but which it would like to do if it had more resources.

I said this on Leaders' Questions when I was questioning the Taoiseach. I am a bit dubious about Ireland looking for a seat on the Security Council and what Ireland can bring to that because I see our role on the Human Rights Council as being more in keeping with the kind of work we do, our principles and so on. The centre is supporting Ireland's campaign for a seat. Why?

I know that business is part of the Global Ireland strategy. This committee has been involved in this regard and we have had presentations on business and human rights. Has the centre had any input into our national plan, which some of us feel is very weak? There is a need for mandatory due diligence on this.

In our Good Friday Agreement committee we had a very interesting presentation on legacy from Dr. Thomas Leahy of Cardiff University. I was just recently reading work that Irish historian Pádraig Yeates has done on a different way of approaching legacy. Legacy is the real unfinished business from the Good Friday Agreement. The witnesses might outline what the centre is doing on that.