Ms Laura Harmon:

I wish to comment briefly on Senator McGreehan's comments about education. What we have seen with the Erasmus+ programme post Brexit has been interesting. The funding committed to in order to continue it was positive. The education system in the South is evolving, as it is in the North, for example, the issue of patronage in the South. A much wider discussion on what education might look like probably needs to happen, but it could be held as part of a citizens' assembly-type forum in consultation with the students themselves and their parents.

Regarding Senator Currie's comments, the shared island unit is a great initiative and the Government's commitment to funding it is important. The Senator also spoke about timing. We are all in agreement that timing is key. As we outlined, though, many of these conversations are already happening and public opinion has been shifting. As the Senator knows, it will take a great deal of time to get the structure of a citizens' assembly right, for example, who will be the chairperson and how to include all citizens and voices. There is nothing to stop us starting the preparations for the assembly now. With previous assemblies, issues have not necessarily been acted on straight away. If there was a recommendation from this citizens' assembly for a border poll, it might not occur immediately. It would be up to politicians to decide what would happen with a recommendation.