Mr. Niall Murphy:

I will take the last comment first. That is a fair comment by Doug Beattie. I do not think he, or anybody, would be able to point a finger at any column inches generated by our organisation criticising him for his reticence to become involved in a conversation on constitutional change. I understand and respect that position. I touched upon it in my earlier remarks.

The fundamental issue is that a citizens' assembly might afford, as Deputy Carroll MacNeill said, the sensitive, thoughtful, citizen-led conversation that would permit the space around which difficult party-political concepts might be addressed. The referendum to repeal the eighth amendment posed political difficulties for all parties. The matter was somewhat devolved, almost, and became a-party political. Through that, the true accurate voice was found and the Constitution was thereby amended. It is really that spirit we feel might assist in assessing the true thoughts, fears, concerns and ambitions of those who repose a British identity in the North. As such, the conversation that would occur in a citizens' assembly, informed by the evidence, might provide the political space where compromise can occur.

I absolutely do not recognise the contention that we are involved in a conversation with a preordained outcome. Such an outcome would mean there would be referendums that would pass. I have no idea whether a border poll would be voted for on either side of the Border. However, the event of a referendum is, in itself, a demonstration of democracy. There may be an misapprehension regarding Ireland's Future but the first line of our mission states that we aspire to Irish reunification. For the avoidance of doubt, we hold the position that we absolutely aspire to a single-island unitary state but we want to facilitate a discussion towards that end. Again, as reflected on our mission statement, this is in line with the principles and processes as set out in the Good Friday Agreement. We have been as clear as we possibly can be regarding our position, but a better understanding is needed of what has already been democratically mandated on both sides of the Border, that is, the Good Friday Agreement, which is given its legislative expression in the North by the Northern Ireland Act 1998. That was part of what was mandated on both sides of the Border.

It is a logical, legislative and constitutional outworking of the Good Friday Agreement that consideration be given to a poll - a referendum - on the constitutional status of the island. Therefore, it is not divisive to speak about that which has already been democratically mandated. A little more credence should be given to that already democratically-mandated position.