Ms Michelle Gildernew:

-----as well because I am delighted to see our three guest speakers here today. I do not wish to pick out anyone in particular but Mr. McCallister and I grew up in the Assembly and while we did not come from the same constitutional point of view we became friends and had a great deal in common. I wish to add to Deputy Conway-Walsh’s point where I meet people from a unionist persuasion every single day who are totally exasperated and frustrated by the lack of planning and engagement from political unionism. The Chairman made the point earlier about political unionism. Civic unionism is way ahead of political unionism and there are many people who want to be involved in creating a better society for all of us on the island of Ireland.

Brexit was a game-changer. Farmers in the constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone are deeply frustrated about the challenges they face as a result of Brexit and they want to be involved in that discussion. Like Deputy Conway-Walsh I do not believe that 23 years on we should still be tiptoeing around these issues. We have a responsibility now to build a future where we can do away with many of the problems of the past and work together to build an Ireland where everybody can have their place.

I have no doubt that with people like Mr. McCallister within unionism, there are very many courageous and visionary people who would see themselves as unionist but know that the union does not offer them that much and they want to be involved in the discussion as to what the alternative is. I appreciate all of our guests coming here today but it is especially good to see my old buddy, Mr. McCallister.