Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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That is a very productive and good ending to our meeting. I know that Senator Blaney and everybody else has been impressed, particularly with the clarity and the truth of what our guests have been saying.

I never thought about this issue in terms of losing one’s European identity because it did not happen to us down here. I appreciate our guests saying that and how important it was to them and still is, obviously, to us. If there is anything that we can do by way of aid or by making arrangements with the shared island unit to meet with the groups, I ask that they might give us their paper, and we will go up to visit.

We are happy to do that and it can be done in a nice and quiet way as a genuine visit where we can try to understand and bridge, in the way our guests organisations are doing, the gap between the politicians in the South and young people and to show that we care. We want to know and to share. At this stage in my life, as a grandparent with four young grandchildren, I am looking forward to them playing their part in the future. I am naturally talking about the next generation.

Our guests’ organisations are showing profound, excellent leadership. I thank Ms Holohan, Ms Watters, Ms Nolan and Mr. Silcock very much. It has been a privilege to listen to them and we will follow this meeting up with correspondence, meetings, and so on.