Mr. Paul F. Farrell:

Like everyone here, I am honoured to be able to speak to the committee and make comments, not only in support of Mr. McCord but also more generally in relation to any future referendum on the reunification of the island, or otherwise. All the speakers have consistently said that time is important. It is important to take our time over the issue and address whatever concerns the unionist population in the North may have before any transition into an all-Ireland system of government.

Mr. McCord made a very good point on trust in institutions. He is a prime example of someone who comes very eager and willing to engage with anyone, whether that be from the Westminster side or the Dáil, or even the assembly if its Members would engage with him. It is important that people like Mr. McCord from the unionist tradition have that opportunity to feel they are part of the process.

I note there are people form Ireland's Future here, including Professor Harvey and Senator Black, and I know it is doing good work to encourage those from what would not have been seen as a republican or nationalist tradition to engage in the debate. I will move on to where that debate should be engaged, particularly from Mr. McCord’s point of view. We have endured a horrible 25 years of trying to get answers and justice in relation to the murder of Mr. McCord’s son, who was also called Raymond. We were first out of the blocks, so to speak, to confirm that there was collusion in his case. That was done via Operation Ballast, the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland’s report under the stewardship of the Police Ombudsman. We know there was collusion. I would have expected an outreach from the unionist community to address that collusion and to sympathise with Mr. McCord. That was not forthcoming. If that is the mindset, it is a difficult mindset that we will all have to challenge. There are things in a referendum that might lead to new structures and new institutions in an agreed Ireland but this must be done within the context of a rights-based government. We all must come to this with equal human or civil rights.

I do not have much more to say. I am not a man with political nous or anything close to it.

However, I support everything that Mr. McCord said. I agree that there has to be time taken but, to underscore my point, time must be taken to persuade those who may have difficulty in coming to terms with a new agreed Ireland that it is not a bogeyman and it can protect people such as Mr. McCord and his son from the horrors they have endured.

That is all I have to say. I appreciate the time the committee gave me.