Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an bplé seo ach go háirithe ós rud é go bhfuil an Feidhmeannas tar éis teacht le chéile arís agus is rud iontach é sin dár ndóigh. Tréaslaím le mo chomhghleacaí féin Michelle O’Neill a post nua agus tá mé ag súil le feiceáil céard a bhéas á dhéanamh sna míonna atá le teacht. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this. It is particularly welcome that we are able to discuss what happened on Saturday, 3 February, and the fact that what happened was a very historic and momentous day. It was a day that many would never have thought possible, including many in my own family as well. To me, without question, the day really was a day of hope and of looking towards the future, and what might be. I congratulate my own colleague, Michelle O'Neill, on her new position as First Minister. It has been very clear from the get-go that Michelle will be a First Minister for all. We now need to ensure that all of the all-island institutions are up and running so that we can deliver a better future and a better Ireland for everyone.

Teachta O'Dowd mentioned that we need to make sure that we are preparing for that future that I hope to see, namely, a united Ireland. He is correct that we need to make sure that we are preparing, and that we cannot see happen what has happened in other places, where referendums were run without preparation. That is why we have always been very clear on the need for the Government to have and to constitute a citizens' assembly to discuss that very future.

I also congratulate my colleague, Conor Murphy, on his new post as Minister for the Economy. It is an extremely exciting time, specifically for the third level sector. I know he will have a strong focus on third level mobility for North and South and increasing cross-Border mobility, which is crucially important for our all-island economy and indeed for students' experiences going forward. I look forward to that.

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