Professor Fidelma Ashe:

The first thing we have to reassure people of is that the facilitators do not take a position on the constitutional question. That is central. If people feel there is any bias in a dialogic space, that is very off-putting for them.

The second issue is whether this will create discord or whether arguments will develop. I have to structure the sessions using prompts and questions that will ensure there is no tension in the room. I tried to use a system of connectors and dividers. Connectors are those issues I have talked about already, that is, those socioeconomic issues that resonate with all women, no matter the identity background they come from or their position on the constitutional question. We can start by thinking about education, women's security or healthcare. From that point, from that connector, we can work outwards and then start to have a discussion about what an all-island healthcare system would look like. We have the foundation of a connector that connects all people and then we can move slowly into other areas that are more related to the issue of constitutional change on the island.