Mr. Jim Gavin:

I would be hesitant to have any further delay. We submitted the report last December and here we are 12 months later. The report requested that the committee consider it within six months. That has already been missed. I think the timeline is 30 December. The Oireachtas will probably be taking a recess fairly soon so the committee has a big challenge to get its report in on time to the Government. If there is to be a plebiscite, it will be with the elections in June. In the report I alluded to the fact that the members of the assembly are concerned that this report will be put on the shelf to gather dust, as happened in 2014, 2008 and 2000 and it will be another missed opportunity. There is momentum now. The members of the committee are giving their time to this. As elected representatives, I understand they are extremely busy and we appreciate the time given to us today. We would be very hesitant to delay this any more. If we can put a report together in six months there is no reason the experts in the Custom House cannot put it together in that timeframe as well and get it out for next June. I will open it up to the expert advisory group or anybody else who wants to contribute.