Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests for the work they have done for the Good Friday Agreement, achieving it, and for sharing their experiences with us. I acknowledge that in respect of all three of our guests.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Kirwan referred to the Ireland's Future event. I also attended that event. Indeed, people travelled from all over the country and from abroad. Irish people came home to attend that event, such is the level of interest in the question. We must hear what is being said by those people and by others across the country. I think we would all agree about the need to do the homework. Many people, including academics, those involved with the shared island unit, and many others, are doing the homework. However, it is important that we have a framework within which to work. That should not threaten anybody. We all agree we need to prepare.

I heard what was said in terms of events being able to move faster. If we are not prepared, then all of us, as legislators, have a responsibility to do that, and the Government as well. That is my first observation. Will the witnesses comment on the Ireland's Future event and what they took from it? I heard some loud and clear messages at it.

Turning to the Good Friday Agreement and it being a living document and something we are working on continuously from these Houses and as a committee, what it did well was to set out the architecture. What resonated with me was what Dr. McKee said about Canada and the different identities there working and living together and that type of harmony. To me, the way we create this harmony is by ensuring equality and that people's rights are upheld, whatever community they come from. In the Good Friday Agreement, we have the Bill of rights, the single equality Bill and the charter of rights. There were several substantial elements that could provide equality of rights across communities that have not been implemented. My main question for the witnesses is what can we do as a committee and what the Government should be doing right here and right now, and, indeed, the British Government, to ensure these rights are implemented. I ask this because I am conscious as well of the inequalities that still exist.

This leads me to the economic aspect. I attended the IBEC event yesterday as well and I very much welcome the peace and prosperity initiative it is undertaking. I wish it well and we will all be engaged. Regarding some key issues from yesterday and the opportunities outlined, I refer to what has been achieved since the Good Friday Agreement, what continues to be achieved and the opportunities for the future right across the island. One of the issues mentioned was the need to evolve a prosperity model for a new global environment. This is concerned with bringing things forward right here, right now and what we need to do to create prosperity across the island. The scale of 7 million people as opposed to 5 million people was referred to, and what could be done in that context.

Equally, the macroeconomic model being developed by the ESRI, in conjunction with others, will be significant in forming the basis for us in future. One of the challenges we have across the island, but particularly in the North, are major data gaps. People need to be able to see the evidence. We can take the politics out of it, if we like, but I am referring to the absolute evidence of whether people will be better off in a new Ireland looks like regardless. I refer to what the future will look like for all of this across the island. Perhaps Dr. Mansergh would address this macroeconomic model aspect. I will leave my questions at that. We are in a time of opportunity and responsibility. I thank the witnesses for their contributions today.