John McGahon (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The common thread in all our witness comments is that none of this can progress while an assembly is not up and running. I know we discuss this regularly in this committee and in the Seanad, as Senator Ó Donnghaile is aware. It bewilders me to think that in 2023, in a modern functioning democracy, we have somewhere like Northern Ireland where over the past 20 years the Assembly has not been functioning or up and running for legislators to do their job more often than it has been functioning. It is something one would expect in far-flung parts of the world, to be quite frank about it. As a result, basic legislation like this, which makes everyone's lives better and contributes to a more constructive society, is being forgotten about. As Ms McGahey has said, when it comes back for ten or 12 months, bigger issues - I do not mean to diminish the issues which concern our witnesses - around the economy or whatever will be addressed. As a result, the concerns of our witnesses get repeatedly pushed down the list and real issues develop in society as a result. If they are left unchecked for a number of years, they become very big issues, as mentioned by our witnesses, with respect to racism, etc. I thank Ms McGahey for that. I really appreciate her being able to provide that insight into the types of racism which people in Northern Ireland are experiencing. It is very important to have that on the record.