Ms Claire Hanna:

Comhghairdeas to the Cathaoirleach on his new role. I am pleased to be back on the committee. We had a pretty broad agenda in the last mandate, but we were able to be quite agile in responding to various issues that cropped up over those few years. From the SDLP's perspective, we will go wherever we need to go and use all of the democratic levers. This is a particularly meaningful and unique body to bring together representatives from across the island.

I know we will get into the development of our work programme. There is much to be picked up on, including issues regarding reform of the Good Friday Agreement. There is a live conversation in Stormont as well as some of the post-Brexit hardenings. I have just come from an event in the Seanad about the North-South bodies. There is an understanding that much more work can be developed there. I always like to remind people that the Good Friday Agreement is not an ornament that we take down and marvel at. It is a toolkit to manage the everyday challenges as well as our longer-term constitutional aspirations. This committee has an important role in driving that.