Results 17,061-17,080 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. John Bruton (8 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: Do not forget Niall.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. John Bruton (8 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: That is very kind of the Deputy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. John Bruton (8 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: The question of reconciliation is the key theme - we all agree on that - but the main problem we have is that we cannot talk to unionists officially in a forum in which they are confident and happy and do not feel threatened. That is why we are looking at our relationship to the UK Parliament. Mr. Bruton is correct to say it is an absolutely legitimate aspiration to want a united Ireland...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. John Bruton (8 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: Deputy Tully has eight minutes left.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. John Bruton (8 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: Mr. Yeates has been in contact. He wrote to the committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. John Bruton (8 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: There are two minutes left in the slot

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. John Bruton (8 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: Of course.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. John Bruton (8 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is appropriate to take a break now. The Vice Chair is on his way. We will suspend for five minutes because I have to go. Before I do, we need Mr. Bruton back because he is stimulating debate and there are issues we need to probe further. If there is anything I can say from what I am gathering from talking to unionists in my very small way, it is they are telling me that if we can...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. John Bruton (8 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: Do not forget the O'Dowds as well.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. John Bruton (8 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: In fairness.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Gerry Adams (15 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: Apologies have been received from Senator Black. Today, we continue our meetings with the architects of the Good Friday Agreement project. We have met with a range of people involved in the peace process negotiations, both politicians and officials. On behalf of the committee, I welcome Mr. Gerry Adams. Mr. Adams is a former leader of Sinn Féin, a former Deputy for Louth and a former...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Gerry Adams (15 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: Go raibh míle maith agat. I want to personally thank Mr. Adams for his comments about my sister Orlaith, her husband Ciaran and their daughter Kathleen. It is deeply appreciated. For members who have come in since the start of the meeting, the rotation we have agreed is Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the SDLP, the Alliance Party, the Green Party, the Labour Party,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Gerry Adams (15 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: We are running out of time here.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Gerry Adams (15 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is not a problem. I will add time to other people.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Gerry Adams (15 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: Of course, it is a very important debate so if everybody agrees, we will continue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Gerry Adams (15 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: That was very important. That is the sort of discussion we need, to articulate all these different issues. That is what the committee is here for. I will allow Senator Emer Currie to go next.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Gerry Adams (15 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: To be helpful to everyone, it was a fair question and if Mr. Adams is prepared to answer it, that is fair enough. I appreciate the point he is making, that this issue should be discussed at a different time. We must respect the invitation that Mr. Adams replied to, which was to discuss how the Good Friday Agreement came about, but in fairness to the Senator-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Gerry Adams (15 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: I will make one point. Jean McConville, Tom Oliver and Captain Robert Nairac were all murdered in my own county. I want to make this point. I am a republican and I am a nationalist. The difference is that I always believed that human life was sacred and that the political system was the system to work in. That is my point. The bodies of the disappeared remain today in unmarked graves....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Gerry Adams (15 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: I accept that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Architects of the Good Friday Agreement (Resumed): Mr. Gerry Adams (15 Dec 2022)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am just making the point from my perspective. What I feel will bring closure are any additional steps all of us can make. I think that is a fair point.