Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms O'Donnell for her presentation. What Ms O'Donnell has managed to do is almost let us feel what it was like at that time, including the pressure in the days leading up to 10 April 1998. It reminded me of having a phone call with our former Deputy, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, who was there at that time. I spoke with him on the Holy Thursday evening. He was very despondent. Even the day before the agreement he thought it was not going to go anywhere, but thankfully it did. As Ms O'Donnell has said, it was only a starting point but it was a good starting point and it has led to peace for all of those years. I do not know where those 25 years have gone. The time has gone so fast.

I wish to get Ms O'Donnell's opinion on a matter. The Dublin Government is the co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement with the British Government. Does Ms O'Donnell believe they have done enough to protect citizens rights in the North? Could citizens' assemblies or other vehicles have been used to discuss people's views on issues like that to ensure the protection of citizens' rights?

An issue of concern to many of us here is the British Government's legacy legislation, which was introduced recently. It is opposed by every party on the island of Ireland. Serious concerns have been raised by Amnesty International, representatives of which appeared before this committee recently. Amnesty International is calling on the Government to take a case against the British Government because the proposed legislation is in breach of the Good Friday Agreement. At the time, members of families appeared here with Amnesty International and told us stories of how they had lost family members to security forces in the North. They have never got answers to that. They told of how the pain is still there even though some of these happened in the 1970s. It was very evident that the pain is still there. They never got proper answers and they feel now that they never will, if this legacy legislation goes through. What is Ms O'Donnell's opinion on that?