Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is not easy to overcome that. The National Women's Council of Ireland and other national organisations use a mailing list that, by definition, cannot be comprehensive enough. Deputy Conway-Walsh's point about using the structures at local government level is very important.

We do not need new structures either. We can use the existing structures to good effect. I recall that when, as Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin announced the establishment of the shared island unit, the officials heading up the unit made a presentation to this committee. Having been involved in politics in the bad era prior to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, when there was violence and no political progress or collaboration, both the Cathaoirleach and I made a point about the work our local authorities had done in co-operation with our neighbouring local authorities. The shared island unit used the corporate knowledge that was there at local authority level, both among elected members and officials. It is a resource that is often not used enough.