Reverend Kyle Paisley:

There is a lot to address. First, I am grateful for the comments regarding the Irish language. I understand that a great Englishman, William Bedell, was the first man to translate the Bible into the Irish language, to many complaints from many of his fellow clergy on the island of Ireland. As they say here, the only way is Essex. He was a good man.

A question was raised about the second paragraph in the full submission about unionists' difficulty being republicans' opportunity. I know that is an old cliché. What does hold water in the present situation is that we all agree that the Troubles in the North of Ireland cast a long shadow, and still do, over relationships and the general atmosphere in northern Irish politics. I put that line in because there is still a fear among many unionists that if there is a united Ireland, there may be elements who would seek to exploit that. People in Border communities suffered a great deal during the Troubles. Going to the question of identity in a united Ireland, it may be possible, and I am sure many have good intentions regarding this, to have the history and culture of unionists and folk of a British identity be respected and acknowledged, with freedom being given to the expression of history and culture.

The one remaining issue with regard to identity is affiliation, which is a harder issue to get across. If people's history is acknowledged and they have the freedom to express their culture in a new Ireland, the one sticking point for many unionists is national affiliation. Briefly, people cannot really be unionists without the union and without that national affiliation. That is as much as I can say. I cannot remember all the questions that I was asked, but I hope I have answered some things in some way, at least with an outline.