Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Mr. McGrath, Ms Anderson and Ms Sheerin for being with us. I want to endorse much of what has been said. One thing raised at this meeting, which I heard Nichola Mallon raise at another meeting on Monday night, is the number of people who are in favour of the protocol. We do not hear about that. We do not hear those business voices stating that we can make this work, that it needs tweaking but that they are used to this and are adaptable. Could a coalition be put together to try to change the debate somewhat? If that debate is changed, it might be changed in London too. We had the Minister, Deputy Coveney, with us a few weeks ago and we got a sense that some progress has been made on many issues. For the business voice in Northern Ireland to be involved in the process, a coalition such as that to which I refer would be important.

Would be an idea for Mr. McGrath to invite Commissioner Šefovi to address his committee? I do not think permission is needed from London or Dublin to get people to address it. The very fact of him taking that interest might wake people up about the work of Mr. McGrath's committee and participating in that work. It would provide a direct forum for presenting the views of the committee and MLAs about Northern Ireland in future. Some of the issues include the protocol and PEACE funding, and there are many things that the committee needs to have a role in. We had an engagement with Commissioner Šefovi in respect of Article 16. It was not necessarily the most enlightening engagement we ever had but we did it and he gave us time. I suggest that might be a way to proceed.

I absolutely endorse holding these meetings quarterly. All the sectoral committees should also have such meetings. It would not so much be a ministerial meeting but a meeting of committees. I am conscious of Mr. McGrath's comments on BIPA and the follow-on from it. BIPA is great fun but there must also be a follow-on. As a follow-on from this meeting, let us schedule what has been suggested into our work programme for the remainder of this year and for next year.