Niall Blaney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach, Ms O'Donoghue and Mr. Duffy are most welcome before the committee. I am delighted to have a discussion on this matter because the whole shared island concept has created a non-threatening space on the island, across societies, for the first time. I welcome the Taoiseach's presentation. There was a lot in it and it is a pity that we are constrained by time limits at this meeting. To make the best use of the time available to me, I am going to go straight into questions.

My first relates to the Taoiseach's opinion on the significance of the research. I know there are elements of society in Northern Ireland that, for example, cling onto the health services and use that as a vehicle to say they do not want an all-island economy. We value the health service even though its outcomes on illnesses such as cancer and coronary care are worse than the equivalent outcomes in the South. What is the significance of the research from the points of view of health, the all-island economy, education and young people who wish to attain jobs and lives? What is the point to all this research? Some would suggest it should be handed over to a citizens' assembly that should be allowed to do that work. What is the Taoiseach's opinion on that? Why do we not do that?

With respect to dialogue, I am conscious of the fact that conversations have got going. The difficulty for me and some who are creating conversation is that the dialogue is very much one-sided and nobody seems to be reaching out to the unionist community. What will a shared island dialogue with the Taoiseach's Department bring that is different? How do we engage the Protestant community in Northern Ireland? What is different in that regard? What do the dialogues bring?