Mr. Paul Maskey:

I thank the witnesses for the presentation. Any conversation or dialogue must be commended and it is very important to start from that point. The witnesses mentioned they have engaged with 130 different groups, which is impressive given the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions on who could be spoken with and when. I am surmising that was done over Zoom or MS Teams meetings but it is very important work.

The witnesses mentioned they would speak more to some of the women's groups and youth organisations across the island. How does this unit draw up the list of who it will speak to, as this is very important? I have seen recently that there is much collaboration between some of the youth organisations that work across the Border. Will the unit engage with those type of youth workers and leaders? I am also thinking of some of the women's groups, such as the Shankill Women's Centre and the Falls Women's Centre in my constituency, which do very positive work across communities. I know they have other engagements right across Belfast and beyond.

How does the unit draw up the list? The witnesses said they engage with people in the sector but does this process reach the grassroots?

I know, for example, that over the last number of months, some of the youth groups in Belfast have engaged in a very positive way along the peace lines, preventing some of the outbreaks of violence and the riots on our streets. They have worked tirelessly. Has the unit engaged with those types of youth groups? That is a most important piece of information.

On the issue of the train link between Belfast and Dublin, has there been engagement on the development of a high-speed rail link and the economic corridor between Dublin and Belfast? They are the two largest cities on the island. If that project is done right and well, everywhere else in between will benefit from it. I would like to know if there has been engagement on that issue.