Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Bruton for his interesting paper, which has lots of different points of view. This committee will be delighted to debate the issue with him and I have no doubt members will challenge him on some of the assertions and issues in his paper. I think his paper brings fresh air into our debate here. I appreciate him coming here to present his detailed analysis.

Mr. Bruton has said in his presentation that "both nationalism and unionism need to re-examine their underlying assumptions ... this committee is a place where that work might start." One of our problems at this committee is that while unionists have the right to come here and participate in all of our debates, they choose not to do so. Recently we made some progress on our visit to Westminster where we met the members of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee of the House of Commons. We have agreed that we would work together and unionists are happy to participate in that committee as Members of the UK Houses of Parliament. That is one way we can have the debate, which is absolutely lacking on this island so, in a public forum, nationalists, unionists and the people who choose neither side can debate and discuss fully.

Is it in order that we return to our original proposal? So it is Fianna Fáil first for 15 minutes, then Fine Gael which will be followed by Sinn Féin, the SDLP, the Alliance, the Green Party, the Labour Party, the Independents and Aontú. I advise Mr. Bruton that we have a clock, each party chooses a speaker and people say what they wish. I am quite sure that there will be interesting comments.