Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I totally agree. It comes back to the bill of rights.

The lack of progress on the proposed bill of rights is really depressing, to be honest. We all know this.

Ms Weir mentioned trauma and that she would like to see intergenerational trauma addressed. I have seen this in the other work I do with regard to areas including addiction. It was even the case when this committee went up to the Shankill Road many years ago during the last term. Conversations took place when we were there. I remember one young man saying that when he was walking down the road and a motorbike backfired, he went into this really hypervigilant state. I am sure it is the same for both sides of the community.

We cannot see intergenerational trauma and its impact but it is definitely there. I work in the area of mental health. Ms Weir mentioned that this topic should definitely be included in the proposed bill of rights. I would like to hear more from both witnesses about their thoughts in this area. They are both working with women, in particular, dealing with this intergenerational trauma. I would, therefore, like to hear more on this subject with regard to the work they do and how they would see this being put into the bill of rights. Additionally, I would like to hear about other aspects in this regard, including, for example, what the witnesses' vision is for the bill of rights. I ask them to expand a little bit more on this point because I think their vision for the bill of rights is very important.

There are three parts to this query. I would also like to hear what the witnesses think the Southern Government should do. I ask this question because we need to be able to put this into our recommendations. I would, then, like to hear from the witnesses about this topic in more detail. I know they touched on it already during their contributions but I would like to hear in more detail what the witnesses would like the Southern Government to do to help restart progress towards putting in place the bill of rights. I would also like to know what the witnesses would perhaps like the committee to do. I am giving them loads of things to comment on now and I hope they are able to cover it all.