Niall Blaney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Smith is running a little late and Senator McGreehan is on the way as well. I extend a warm welcome to Reverend Karen and Mr. Lunn and thank them for their presentations. We have been calling for some time to have more unionists' voices at the table. The witnesses are very welcome here today. I am very interested in their approach and presentations.

To take the comments made by Mr. Lunn first, he referred to the unionist community needing assurances. Given all that has gone on in the past with respect to working up all the agreements up to the Good Friday Agreement, an awful lot of work went on behind the scenes to give that assurance to unionists. Reverend Karen spoke about taking people to the table. There were many tables and many people have been taken to them. There were many people taken by an awful lot of individuals who worked behind the scenes, which most people do not know anything about. That work has not really started yet. We have seen of late in recent months the difficulties in Lanark Way and other areas in Northern Ireland when political vacuums were created. Does Mr. Lunn believe assurances can be given to unionist communities, political leaders and unionist parties in Northern Ireland given the leadership? I would like to hear his view on that.

Reverend Karen mentioned taking people to the table, which is a great way of putting it, but we need many tables. I and Senator McGreehan, a colleague who is present and due to speak next, brought forward a motion on the Good Friday Agreement and the shared island unit last night and we discussed at length the idea of a citizens' assembly. I spoke against it on the night but we did not vote it down because I do not want to shut down discussion. It is my view and the view of the Government that it would be too early to have a citizens' assembly. We are not in that space yet. I feel that without the ability, first, to meet the unionist community and create that assurance, I am not sure a citizens' assembly would be as effective as we would like it to be plus I would be wary of setting the conditions and terms for any assembly without that political and unionist input. We are dealing with a very dicey situation. I would like to hear Reverend Karen's views on that. Moreover, when the coronavirus scenario moves on, I would welcome if members of this committee could go to Belfast and meet the witnesses and their communities. Many fires could be put to bed in that way than meeting such an assembly. I thank the witnesses again for their time.