Dr. Pádraig Ó Tiarnaigh:

Bhí muid iontach soiléir go raibh orainn an reachtaíocht seo a bheith réidh sular raibh an comhaontú sin déanta anuraidh. Tharla sé sin. Cuireadh fáilte roimh an reachtaíocht ag an am céanna is a cuireadh fáilte roimh an comhaontú. Tá sé réidh le dul anois. Táimid ag amharc ar bac polaitiúil. Níl aon leithscéal eile chun cur síos a dhéanamh ar an moill atá ann faoi láthair. Creidimid nuair atá bac polaitiúil ann go bhfuil brú polaitiúil de dhíth chun é sin a réiteach.

Yes, we believe there is a political barrier now to getting the legislation through the Assembly and the Executive. During the negotiations and the talks that led up to the 2020 New Decade, New Approach agreement, we were very clear that the legislation had to be predetermined because our faith and trust, after three public consultations and about 15 years of going round the houses to get legislation through was always going to be a struggle so we wanted the legislation pre-agreed, we wanted it published and that happened. The legislation was published the same night as Mr. Julian Smith MP and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Simon Coveney, stood outside Stormont and delivered the New Decade, New Approach agreement. We are, therefore, very clear that the legislation that has been published must go through as soon as possible but there does seem to be that political barrier and where there is a political barrier there needs to be political pressure. Thus the motion we are asking the committee to pass today is to apply pressure on the two joint authors of that agreement, namely, the Irish Government and the British Government and then also the Executive office which ultimately has to make the final call in triggering the legislation and getting it moving. The three parties I listed all have a stake in getting this over the line and it must happen as soon as possible.