Reverend Karen Sethuraman:

I am happy to say something on that. I thank Senator Black for her welcome and for the opportunity to be here. I commend the Senator's work last night in putting forward the amendment, for which I thank her.

I would say that the greatest fear around the issue is timing. The effect of Brexit is still very fresh. As I said earlier, if we have learnt anything from Brexit, it is about the lack of planning. When people do not know what they are going to vote for, it automatically creates a nervousness. Sometimes, because these conversations are heightened and are happening, as they should be, people automatically panic. People have said to me they are not ready for a Border poll tomorrow. I spend a lot of my time reassuring people that the purpose of the citizens' assembly is to begin those conversations. Leaders in communities have a responsibility for that. It is not about championing, waving the flag or saying "Let us do this". It is about settling people and saying all we are asking for at the moment is for conversations.

When I get down to the core bread and butter with people on this, I will be honest with the committee, I have not had one person say to me "I am not up for that". I genuinely have not had this. Certainly after the announcement of this on Twitter last night, I have found people contacting me asking if they can be part of this. It is about settling people's fears about it being rushed through, telling them it will take time and that we are committed to the hard work of planning, preparing, listening, learning and unlearning. It is about reassuring people that we will take our time with that so that when the day comes, the political parties, the unionists and those North and South will have shared their vision. People will go to vote on that day, whenever it is, and they will know exactly what it will mean for their families and what it will mean for education.

There is a fear on the part of people who think it is moving too fast. I believe this is highlighted on social media and in the press when it is actually not moving too fast and is going at a good pace. The citizens' assembly is a priority and needs to be set up to start those conversations. Those can begin now. They are already happening.