Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On the evolution of the Good Friday Agreement? The programme for Government has identified a number of citizens' assemblies that we have committed to, including on a Dublin mayor, biodiversity and drugs. We are committing to one on drugs in the latter part of this year, with education.

I will give my view on a citizens' assembly in terms of the island of Ireland. The shared island unit is a worthwhile initiative that, without prejudice to the constitutional situation, allows us to engage with civic society on the island on a range of issues outside the constitutional question, including on biodiversity, climate change, health, education, infrastructure and so forth. On the research area, we have had a successful subscription to the idea of joint research projects North and South. Some €40 million will be allocated to joint research initiatives between researchers in the Republic and researchers in Northern Ireland to which there has been a great response.

On the constitutional issue, having been involved in this area all my life, and since I became a Deputy, my view is that I am not convinced the future evolution of the island and relationships on the island can be resolved through a citizens' assembly. Rather, I believe it takes the painstaking engagement of people to people, the building of relationships, and that requires a lot of detailed work. It can take weekends. It requires constant engagement with all traditions and people from all backgrounds. It is consuming but it is necessary. We have all been on a journey of understanding in regard to Northern Ireland; I certainly have been since I became a Deputy and, indeed, before then. I honestly can say that the best insights I got were from talking to people who I perceived had completely opposite views and different perspectives to me. I met them at weekend gatherings organised by facilitators where we learned more about their backgrounds and issues.

I did it through the British-Irish Association. During the 1990s and the early 2000s in particular, it did invaluable work in drawing people from different backgrounds together. Those weekend meetings were held in Cambridge or Oxford alternately. I attended a reconciliation event in Ballycastle at which I meet 12 public representatives from the unionist and loyalist tradition to get a greater understanding.

The Deputy is speaking about a citizens' assembly in terms of designing the structures. To be honest, from a republican perspective, it really is about people engaging on a constant basis. This is what will enable us to develop and evolve beyond the Good Friday Agreement into a meaningful accommodation. This is what I believe. I am not yet clear in my head that a citizens' assembly can accommodate this.