Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am sorry for missing the earlier part of the meeting. I had difficulty joining. I endorse the comments made by my colleague, Senator Niall Blaney, that the debate has to be inclusive. There is a danger we will not have everyone participating, including people from different political viewpoints. I want to see a united Ireland, but if we have a minimalist approach, then we will do damage and will put back the day when we will achieve a united Ireland. We would be denying a large cohort of the Irish people the ambition they want to achieve in the proper circumstances. Going back to Albert Reynolds's comments in December 1993, when the Downing Street Declaration was signed with John Major on 15 December, on that day, both the former Taoiseach, the late Albert Reynolds, and Mr. Major spoke about the need not to have a minimalist approach. They spoke generosity being needed on all sides. It is very important in that respect that we approach this with an inclusive agenda.

Mr. Harvey spoke about long-term planning, and I totally agree with that. There has to be an understanding of the other side's position. The Chairman and I are probably the only two committee members who were Members of the Oireachtas at the time of the Downing Street Declaration and the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. At that time, we clearly understood the political message that was given to us by our parties, which was the need to understand the other side's position and the difficulties they encountered in reaching an agreement. Having talked to Bertie Ahern, Mr. Clinton, Mr. Blair and the late John Hume, and others who contributed so much to achieving the Good Friday Agreement, they were always generous, patient and understanding of the other side's position.

People speak about citizens' assemblies. We have elected forums and it is these which have to do the preparatory work on what we all want to achieve in a proper way. Mr. Harvey mentioned that the Good Friday Agreement provides the mechanism, quite rightly, to achieve a united Ireland. That is in an international agreement endorsed by the people, North and South, on 22 May 1998. If we were to have spoken to people in March of 1998 and said in a vox popon any street in any county in any part of our island that, within a number of weeks, we would have a mechanism to achieve a united Ireland, I do not think the public at large at that time would have thought we would make that progress. We have the mechanism, thankfully, but we did not have it prior to May 1998.

Mr. Harvey spoke the previous day about commitments already made. Did Mr. Harvey or Mr. Bassett, in the course of their work, do an inventory of what has not been done pertaining to the commitments laid out in the Good Friday Agreement and in its successor agreements? If we are to move successfully to achieving a united Ireland, then we must implement and maximise the potential of the Good Friday Agreement and the successor agreements. We have seen what a lack of preparation did in regard to Brexit. Surely, we want a referendum where the homework will have been done and there will not be a mentality on either side that they are being forced into something.

Mr. Harvey also spoke about the shared island unit and others have a massive role in ensuring the practical co-operation on this island is stepped up. Institutions on this island do not engage or talk to each other anywhere near enough. We should focus at the moment on maximising the agreements we have in place, maximising co-operation, and ensuring the €500 million already committed to the shared island initiatives is drawn down and that practical co-operation for the benefit of all the people of this island is advanced. Momentum is needed to ensure we deliver on what is achievable through those agreements, particularly the Good Friday Agreement, which is an international agreement. That is an incremental and necessary approach for us to have in place the necessary framework to achieve a united Ireland in due time.