Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am not entirely surprised that the conference was well attended because this is a mobilising issue that galvanises people. It is important to remember, given that we are speaking about it, that the public consultation on the Stormont House arrangements was one of the biggest public consultations in terms of response in the North ever, with more than 20,000 submissions. I am conscious of the sincerity with which these proposals are made and the genuine place they come from but contrast "I know people" and 20,000 submissions to these proposals. That is the agreed route with the vast majority of government, albeit the British Government has reneged on it with the political parties and, it seems, with quite a substantial proportion of the population.