Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Dr. Farry and Mr. Campbell for being here. I congratulate them on their party's success in recent elections. It is clear some people at least are thinking in a less divisive or tribal way than they might have in the past. We are looking at the future of the island. I am interested in our guests' thoughts on the Taoiseach's shared island initiative and how we all co-exist on the island. What has been done with food and with healthcare, where people can go across the Border to access facilities that are much closer, is very positive. Where do our guests see institutional co-operation going? Senator Black is completely right to say it is all about conversations. The more people talk to each other the more they will see we have more in common than divides us and we are not completely different people with completely different opinions on everything. Alliance is possible getting the more enlightened people in that those who are willing to shift have perhaps been attracted to the party. How do our guests see a way of getting to those most entrenched on both sides to explain to them there is not so much to fear as they might think, from a unionist perspective, and equally quite a lot to gain through access to our island facilities, the EU and all the other things? Likewise, do our guests see a way to approach those of a very entrenched nationalist position to say that from their perspective, they need to bring unionists and those of a unionist persuasion along and not have them feeling like the victims of a future jurisdiction?