Niall Blaney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentations, which were somewhat different to those the committee has received in recent months regarding North-South relations and difficulties within the Six Counties. Their approach is quite light and refreshing.

I am really interested in the witnesses' whole approach. I like it. With regard to the way we all need to start looking at the whole approach to Northern Ireland and its difficulties, if one thinks back to the Good Friday Agreement, there were many community and political leaders involved in the years leading up to the agreement. Some of those are no longer with us. I am sure many would think of David Ervine and many other community leaders who helped to bring about and establish the Good Friday Agreement. I was on a talk show recently and the presenter referenced the fact that we do not have such leaders at the moment. That poses a difficulty but, with regard to the work the witnesses have presented to us this morning, there is a lot more work they can do outside of the political sphere. Through engagement with communities, the approach they are taking will go a long way towards inspiring community and political leaders across Northern Ireland. I see them as a very important part of the work that must be done to get to the point that Mr. McCann talked about and to complete the steps to establish an enduring peace for generations to come.

The obvious stumbling block at the moment is Covid. We cannot establish talks so the quicker we get all of this out of the way, the better. It is a real stumbling block, particularly from the perspective of a representative at my level. I want to get in there and engage but I am not being invited to do so. That engagement is necessary if we are to move on. Even from the point of view of this committee, the unionist parties in Northern Ireland are not represented. That is basic work on which we need to get started. There are things like this that we need to do before we even get to the point of getting those elements of the Good Friday Agreement that have not yet been established up and running, such as the North-South institutions. At a minimum, we need that unionist engagement at our level to make sure we bring everybody with us.

There is nothing in the main elements of the presentation with which I disagree. I would love to work with Mr. McCann, Ms Diver and Mr. Quinn in the future. Their work will be a really important element as we move forward. Some things about which they talked are planned but we are precluded from doing much about them at the moment. I would welcome talks with unionist communities in Northern Ireland. There are several organisations across these islands, peace institutes. There is one in Glencree and there are some in Northern Ireland as well. They would love to do a lot more than they are doing but are also precluded from doing so.

I found some of the points Ms Diver made with regard to citizens' assemblies and building engagement very interesting. Building engagement requires good infrastructure. That is a smart and refreshing approach which will not be seen as political. Ms Diver's approach is really good and I would love to see her much more involved in presenting that approach to communities across Northern Ireland on whatever platform is available to her when Covid is out of the way. It is very important that she does so.

I believe I have covered the main parts. Mr. McCann mentioned and quoted Mick Fealty of the website sluggerotoole.com. He has good Donegal blood in him. He comes from the same parish as I do, or his mum did at least. Mr. McCann had several good quotes from him. My general response today is that I like the witnesses' approach and that I would like this committee to work with them much more in the future. I thank them for their presentation.