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

I thank Ms Crickard and Ms Crory. While I appreciate their honesty, they have painted a very dismal picture. However, if it needs to be said, it needs to be said and if that is the harsh reality, we all need to hear it. We all welcome the Good Friday Agreement and what it achieved, which is relative peace.

As was pointed out, there is an awful lot of work that needs to be done to truly integrate the people in the North and to create a brighter future on a spectrum of issues. Some of the issues highlighted are encountered by us here in the South as well, unfortunately, around gender-based violence, inadequate childcare and obviously the homelessness crisis. There are a lot of issues where there is commonality and looking at in a shared way and building a new and better Ireland of some sort is the way to go forward. That is why we are having these discussions.

Both witnesses mentioned the civic forum and I ask them to expand on that a little. It was said that it was hard fought for at the time. I ask them to explain why it was established, the work it carried out, the reason it ended and whether there is a possibility of it being re-established. What would it take to re-establish it? From what I know of it, it would be very important in creating integration among people and addressing the issues. They said there is a lot of segregation still.

The bill of rights was also mentioned. It is an extremely important part of the Good Friday Agreement that has not been fully realised or implemented. There are concerns since Brexit that the rights guaranteed by the EU are no longer guaranteed to the people of the North, so they are going to see a widening of rights. Where are we at with that? Is there any hope of a bill of rights?

A petition of concern was mentioned. I do not understand what that is. What was its intended use and how has it been misused?