Ian Marshall (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the trip to Belfast on Tuesday by the Seanad Special Select Committee on the Withdrawal of the UK from the EU. The trip was ably chaired by Senator Joe O'Reilly, deputising for Senator Neale Richmond, and present were Senators Black, Paul Daly, Ó Donnghaile, Craughwell, and I. We met many businesses and other organisations such as the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association, Manufacturing NI, the Ulster Farmers Union, Retail NI, the Freight Transport Association, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium. We also met many civic groups such as the initiative for civic space, civic nationalism, Belfast City Council's Brexit committee, assistant chief constable of the PSNI, Mr. Tim Mairs, as well as academics and media folk.

It was a full and busy schedule but it highlighted the complexity of the situation at the moment, as well as the fears and concerns of all the people who will be impacted. It gave us an indication of the diversity of opinion and the risks of oversimplifying this problem. We talked about trade, human rights, policing, security, agriculture and freight and the issues were complicated, which meant we often struggled to get a grasp of what the right solution would be. A lot of knowledge was gained from the visit and credit must be given to all the secretarial staff who made it happen and who put the plans in place.

The most moving meeting we had was the final meeting of the day at Elizabeth House on the Holywood Road in Belfast with the Training for Women Network, TWN. The chief executive, Norma Shearer, and the chair, Patricia Lewsley-Mooney welcomed us and introduced us to a group of staff - women from both the loyalist and republican communities. These women had been directly involved in the conflict and directly impacted by the horrors of the Troubles and the atrocities that took place. They shared stories of the devastation to them, their families, their communities and their lives. At one stage we were speechless when one lady stood up and recounted, with tears streaming down her face, her horror as she was instructed to take her son to a punishment shooting. When Senator Craughwell asked her why on earth she would take her son to a shooting, she said it was because if she did not, there would have been a summary execution of her child. We were dumbfounded and astounded by this.They tried to relate to us the horrors of living in these communities, which were completely out of control, and trying to bring up their families in that situation. The important thing for us to note is that these women have had an impact on the lives of hundreds of other women. They have engaged women by bringing together women from completely diverse backgrounds and communities, training them and giving them space and support to lift their families out of the cycle of apathy, alienation and despair.

Leader, these women have given hope and inspiration to many people in diverse communities. I suggest that we invite them to Leinster House to tell their stories, share their experiences, and inform those who did not live through this and those who do not understand it just how sensitive everyone needs to be to the cultures, identities, pain and hurt, and to dealing with rebuilding. On Tuesday, these women told us, in their own words, that they were the glue that held the families and communities together during the Troubles. I have no doubt that they will be the glue that will connect the blocks in the rebuilding process. They need all of our support and assistance to ensure that their fantastic work is maintained and expanded.