Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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On behalf of the joint committee, I thank Reverend Mason and Professor McBride for their most informative and open engagement with the committee. We wish them well in their work. I also thank committee members for their engagement.

We have been to the Skainos centre on the Newtownards Road on numerous occasions. I concur with Deputy Martin Ferris that when we saw former combatants from both sides hugging one another there, this showed how far we had come. The role of education is vital in addressing sectarianism. Cross-Border and cross-community integrated schooling and early intervention have been mentioned. Dr. Mason's commitment to the idea of getting together senior loyalist, republican and clerical leaders and leading NGOs and politicians for an overnight debate and dialogue is important. As a group of politicians from all parties committed to the Good Friday Agreement, we would like to work with him to secure that agenda and move things forward.

This meeting has been very positive. I come from a background in the west of Ireland, not far from the Border, where this issue was sometimes seen as not being our problem. However, psychologically, it was our problem and it is clear that across the island of Ireland everybody has suffered psychologically during the years. I again thank our guests for what has been an excellent discussion. I look forward to working with them and the members of the committee.