Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I did not know Mr. Connor but I want to express my condolences. It is a desperately lonely time for families and friends today with such an untimely death. I send my blessings and my thoughts to that family because it can be an horrendous, lonely, dark road they have to walk over the next while.

I express my relief that the DUP voted last night to re-enter Government. I congratulate Sir Jeffrey Donaldson on the work he did in ensuring that. It was a tight vote. A lot of work was done and there was much political bravery in what happened last night. It is a relief to thousands in the North in particular but also to those in counties along the Border. We see the damage the lack of institutions is doing to our neighbours and our friends in the North, to the social fabric, to their public service, to morale and to their faith in institutions and in democracy. I really hope that over the coming weeks we see the North back in business and that we see the normal discourse and the disagreements that happen in every chamber in the world. We hope normality reappears in the North. With Stormont and our North-South institutions back up and running, I look forward to those conversations, the briefings and the disagreements, because these are all part of it. I express my thanks - maybe thanks is a stretch - but my congratulations and relief that we are here today.