Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our guests and want to make a couple of initial observations. First, I note the really positive and transformative nature of this proposal. Mr. Hannigan, Professor Ó Néill and those advocating and championing this are very firmly focused on the future, while understandably and rightfully acknowledging the very chequered history around the broader proposal of development for third level education in the north west. In terms of some of the earlier remarks, it is probably the most significant commitment that a proposal has received from an Executive in the North. That is to be welcomed and encouraged and from the perspective of this committee, we will always try to assist in bolstering and enabling that kind of commitment as opposed to being overly critical of it when it is there.

It should not surprise anyone that the Irish Government has made a significant contribution to this because in the first instance, it has more significant economic clout on the island. It also has an equal responsibility for the well-being, welfare and future development of Ireland as a whole as anyone else.

Sharing Ireland means investing in Ireland. That particularly means investing on both sides of the Border to address the historic neglect of the north-west. The witnesses will realise that we are not the Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, but we do have a positive role to play. What role do the witnesses see for this committee? Last week we heard contributions from officials attached to the shared island unit. This was very helpful.

Senator Niall Blaney and Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn have a particular interest in bringing the relevant Ministers from North and South before the committee to speak about this. Would that help this committee to assist and enable the witnesses' work? In light of those observations my question is pretty simple. In the last term we have had several presentations on various issues, and then sin é. They have been very helpful and very informed. Because of the real potential afforded to us by this proposal, there is an obligation on this committee to do a quite significant piece of work. It would be very beneficial to the committee if the witnesses could shape and develop that work.