Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Mr. D’Arcy has made important points. I will put a question, although it is obviously for us to answer. If there is not a working Administration in the North from the political point of view and the parties are not working together, nothing will ever work properly. If the majority in the Assembly were to agree an Administration, should that not be something we consider? It would mean that the Administration could continue and it would prevent increasing dissonance, uncertainty, anger and hostility and people closing down communications.

All the points our guests have made are extremely valid. They address the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement in what they are saying. However, much of that is not happening. I agree, and they are right to point out, that there is a role for us in that regard. I and many others have spoken to many people in the unionist parties of Northern Ireland. Many of them have said to me that if it is not a political deal, they do not have an issue with economic progress. The fact is it is not happening. Behind every proposed consensus or agreement is the question as to whether it would represent a political change for the parties to engage on and in which to get involved.

Young people in the North must stand up for their futures and push back against the rhetoric to allow for future progress on the island. I see a former Minister, Deputy Brendan Smith, coming in. I attended meetings of the North-South Ministerial Council when I was a Minister of State. It was an important engagement but the approach was minimalistic. It was the smallest possible bit of the cake for everyone. There was not much openness, engagement or working together in full flow. Those are the issues I see.