Mr. Patrick Quigley:

I thank Senators for their questions. I completely agree with Mr. Taylor-Clarke and Senator Black. Issues on which we can collaborate should be discussed at a hypothetical citizens' assembly. That would be essential to any process of unifying Ireland. We must be able to incorporate people, such as Mr. Taylor-Clarke, from a Protestant, unionist and loyalist background. We must incorporate their views on how we can make a better Ireland for everybody.

Senator Joe O'Reilly asked how we can incorporate Northern Ireland. There are three main paths. We can take a federalist approach, whereby each of the four provinces have their own parliaments that are subordinate to a Dublin parliament. Devolution is another option. That would match the situation we have now, with a devolved parliament in Stormont. The least likely option is the way it is now, that is, a unitary government in Dublin. I will not name names but certain MLAs in Stormont would need to be dragged kicking and screaming to the Dáil. We need to collaborate more through, for example, citizens' assemblies. We all need to work together and push for a united Ireland. If a united Ireland is cooked up by bureaucrats and politicians and the people are asked to vote "Yes" or "No", the people will say "No". The process needs to include the citizens for there to be any chance of a united Ireland.