Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank all our guests for their comprehensive submissions, which very much echoed what we heard during the opening session of our meeting last Friday. Key issues and recurring themes included, in their words, diversity, inclusion, integration, accomplishing more together - that is a really good line - choices in education, social mobility and access to supports for people suffering from homelessness. That is very important.

I am a Senator but I am also a Protestant southerner, for want of a definition. I have never felt threatened or undermined in any way in the Republic. It is a wonderful place to live. I reflected on what Cohen was saying about education. I attended only a multidenominational community school, where all traditions, all colours and all shades of opinion were educated together, and I pay tribute to my educators. It fed into my own beliefs. I am an active member of my Church of Ireland community - I am open about that - and I am a politician, and there are others like me in these Houses of the Oireachtas. This is an open, welcoming and inclusive Parliament, and I reassure our guests and anyone listening to the debate in that regard. We play a meaningful role, as do politicians in local government, and it is a warm, welcoming and inclusive place. The Ireland of 20 years ago is not the Ireland of today; ours is now a liberal, inclusive, comprehensive and supportive community and country, and that is important to say.

Blair stated that the system is not broken but was built in this way. She might elaborate on that.

Education is clearly a huge issue. Having listened to Cohen and the young people who appeared before the committee last week, I know that education and choices within education are the key.

Perhaps the witnesses will talk a bit about their friends in the context of accessing education and how critical education is in opening up our minds and leaving ourselves open to being more inclusive in our own lives. Will Ms Anderson and Mr. Taylor share those points with us?