Mr. Mickey Brady:

I thank the witnesses for their presentation. I have known Professor McWilliams for a long time and am very aware of the work she has done on human rights in the North and her work as human rights commissioner. As for many aspects of the Good Friday Agreement, the Irish and British Governments have abdicated responsibility for the implementation of the bill of rights.

I have sat in the Assembly for past eight years. Talking to Unionists, they would almost see the whole equality issue as a threat to undermine their position. We could talk about civil rights and the three planks. Taking housing as an example, I sat on the social development committee and the housing situation in the North now is probably worse than it was in 1969. We have two, three and sometimes four generations living in the same house and social housing has not been provided. There are many issues which have not been provided for.

With the British Government intent on withdrawing from the Convention on Human Rights and setting up its own provisions, the implementation of a bill of rights in the North would strengthen the position of all sides and would not threaten to undermine Unionists' Britishness, for example. It would actually strengthen those aspects. Certainly there is a lack of responsibility. I am involved with Sinn Féin in terms of outreach to other parties and civic society whether it be the churches, the unions or whatever. There is a willingness but it is a question of reaching the point at which people have to sit down away from the glare and the spotlight and actually discuss these issues. We cannot get a definition of what a victim is and it is very difficult to get a definition of what a bill of human rights would actually entail. I think that is at the crux of the problem.