Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Covid-19 regulations require us to be out of the room in five minutes. We can push that limit to nearer ten minutes but I am conscious of everybody here and the importance of this meeting. If it is helpful, Sinn Féin and the Green Party are entitled to their second round of questions. If it is in order, would it be possible for us to bring Mr. Murphy in again within a fortnight? That is as soon as we can get him here. We would then continue with the rotation, starting with the representatives of Sinn Féin and followed by the representatives of the Green Party. That would be appropriate and proper. I do not know what the rules are about people going north to visit Mr. Murphy but perhaps the different parties could communicate with him separately through Zoom meetings or whatever because teasing out ideas is important to understand everybody's positions and respect them. If it is in order, I would require the consent of the committee to go ahead with another meeting within two weeks in which representatives of Sinn Féin will be followed by those from the Green Party and a rotation thereafter.

I now ask Mr. Murphy to answer the questions from the SDLP and the Alliance Party within five minutes. That would be the fairest way to proceed. I call on him to summarise his remarks in the understanding that he will be before the committee again within two weeks.