Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for coming in. It has been fascinating and we have all learned so much from listening to their statements and the responses to the questions. I have read the opening statements and I will ask my questions individually, if that is okay.

I come first to Professor Doyle. My question is on the whole area of congestion in Dublin, which there is no doubt is horrific at the moment. I am on the Committee on Health, where we hear all of the time from the health services about how emergency departments are packed out and under fierce pressure, and one location, Linn Dara, was closed recently because of lack of staff. It all comes down to the housing issue. They had to close down places because they did not have proper facilities for people to live. I want to ask about congestion issues and how that is impeding foreign direct investment, FDI. In the event of constitutional change on the island, is Belfast uniquely suited to benefit from new or redistributed FDI? That is my first question.

I looked over the pivotal study that was mentioned in Professor FitzGerald’s opening statement and it paints a dire picture of how young people in the North perceive the place they are from. That was dark and a little depressing but it is hopeful that young people seem to express a very strong social consciousness and a desire to live in a more integrated society, which we have seen a lot recently. Does Professor FitzGerald have any ideas as to what can be done to prevent the high level of emigration of Northern graduates?

In his opening statement, Mr. Hetherington spoke about getting economically inactive people in the North back into the labour market, and Deputy Conway-Walsh also touched on this. In a previous session of this committee, we heard from social security experts who spoke of the harshness of Britain's labour activation policies yet it seems they are not achieving their aim. Is there any research or precedent to suggest a more supportive education and training-based approach would be more successful? Those are my three questions and I would like to hear what the witnesses have to say.