Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I fully agree with much of what Professor Ashe said. I want to see a border poll and a referendum. My party is consistently calling for a plan and preparation for that to happen. We cannot just walk into a referendum and a poll without preparation. I know we have been calling for a citizens' assembly but I think what Professor Ashe is talking about is a plan prior to that where we engage with as many people as possible and formulate what the discussion should be at a citizens' assembly. She is right that reaching out to women, especially those who are marginalised, is extremely important. I am the Sinn Féin spokesperson for disability and I am aware that disabled constantly feel they are not engaged with or they are overlooked even in matters that pertain to them. Disabled women in particular would say they are doubly marginalised because they are female and disabled. This applies to other minority groups as well.

I am interested in the study Professor Ashe did. A number of workshops were held which engaged with 20 groups, each of between six and 12 participants. How did she get those women involved? Who did she reach out to in order to involve the women in those workshops and engage with them? Something similar will have to be done on a larger scale if we are serious about this.