Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the members of the Seanad Public Consultation Committee on the Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland, I thank all those who made contributions today. We had 45 people contribute to this debate today. That is probably a record in terms of people contributing to this particular topic. The people who framed the Constitution in 1937 and put in Articles 2 and 3 could never have imagined the range of topics that would be discussed today. We talked about mental health, online learning and education. They were thinking of something far more simple. As we have learned from the discussions, with the witnesses and with the young people this morning, it is far more complex. We talked about biodiversity and how that needs to be part the discussion we are having in relation to the constitutional future of the island of Ireland. What we are talking about is the future of the island of Ireland and how we can make the best future for everybody who lives on this island. That is an important part of what the witnesses have done as academics in terms of putting out the information because information is key to any decision. That idea of policy neglect seldom goes unpunished. Policy is based on facts and when you have the facts and the information, it allows policymakers to make informed decisions.

We have heard about the issue of Brexit many times. We are, in a sense, lucky to have an example like that on something so fundamental to a country. A referendum held without the facts and the information can lead to people making a decision with haste which they can regret with leisure. We know the consequences of and problems of Brexit will become greater as you move further from the referendum.

I thank all the members of the committee who were here for the morning and afternoon sessions. I thank everyone for staying to listen to one another because we learn from each other. I thank those watching on Oireachtas TV. The sessions will be available for people to download and to listen to witnesses' contributions. Their contributions and submissions will be online. As I said earlier, it is really a big ask to try to condense an entire research report into a tweet.

I thank everyone for their patience. We ran over time but we must bear in mind that in the discussion we are having, it is important to give people the latitude to bring forward the benefits of their research and their views. Their views are divergent in many areas but what we can all agree on is that we all want to create a better future. We just have to decide how we can work together to ensure that.