Dr. Anthony Soares:

I thank the Deputy for his questions. I will offer some of the centre's insights, but I will begin by stressing something about engagement and giving a voice to those who are reluctant to engage around the issue of the protocol. I will point to the quarterly survey on North-South and east-west co-operation, which is aimed at organisations and local authorities on the island of Ireland. It gathers responses from a wide range of representatives from various organisations, including those that may have certain perspectives on the protocols. It is a channel for them to offer their opinions in a way that is effective and gives us a broader understanding of how organisations based on the island of Ireland are able to co-operate North-South but also east-west. It stresses the fact that we cannot speak about one set of relations without speaking about the entirety of relations, as an impact on one set will inevitably have an impact on another.

Regarding a refusal to co-operate under strand two of the Good Friday Agreement, the perspective of the Centre for Cross Border Studies is that the Good Friday Agreement has three strands. I refer to it as a three-legged stool. If we believe that one of those legs has taken damage, we should not cut off another leg. Rather, we should try to repair the leg we perceive as damaged. Cutting off the other leg is not a way of arriving at a solution.

In terms of political representation and channels for engagement, what is required is patience and not paying undue attention to some of the language being used in the political rhetoric. As civic society organisations, we stress this and get on with what we have to do. We co-operate North-South or east-west or both, no matter what is happening at the political level because the people we represent and for whom we work cannot wait for things to happen. We have to continue working. The political context is important for our ability to engage in our work and it can make matters more difficult, but we do not have a choice. We have to get on with our work as civic society organisations and ensure that we maintain co-operation and relations on a North-South and east-west basis.

Regarding Northern Ireland's political representation in EU institutions, we must be conscious of the fact that the UK Government made its position very clear recently that it is the interlocutor with the EU and the EU's institutions. It is reluctant to see Northern Ireland or the other devolved administrations usurp that role by being involved in EU institutions without the involvement of the UK Government. However, there are significant opportunities to continue engagement. One of the platforms for such engagement and for Northern Ireland to continue having its voice heard and being involved, even if indirectly, in the shaping of policy at EU level that might affect cross-Border co-operation is the Northern Ireland Executive's office in Brussels. I hope that that office not only continues its work, but intensifies it, while also being conscious of the fact that it has to work alongside, and with the co-operation of, the UK Government.

The Deputy referred to something that we view as a positive initiative, namely, the European Parliament's approval for setting up channels of dialogue between it and the UK Parliament. We hope to see that kind of relationship expand.

Regardless of what happens, though, we as civic society organisations will have to continue working together North-South and east-west in order to improve the lives of the people we serve and maximise the benefits that come from co-operation.