Speeches by Hanna.

“Matthew O’Toole spoke about potential sequencing. He talked about not boiling the ocean, in effect, but getting to some short, sharp reforms to give confidence that the institutions will return after May, before moving on. Would you support that logic, and what do you think should be prioritised?”

“Eóin, you said in response to Robin that the last election was seismic, and it rightly was. Your party doubled its seats. What were its priorities going into the Programme for Government negotiations, and was reform among them?”

“I do not think we have heard how the Assembly existing, or synchronising the titles would injure one community. We have heard views on how reform can and cannot progress. You rightly said that your party has championed reform. Matthew O’Toole set out that for years very substantial reforms, including to mandatory coali…”

“I would like to hear the views of the questions that I have asked you, rather than the questions you would like to answer.”

“Your headline proposal is, if an eligible party refuses to nominate for First or Deputy First Minister, to move to the next largest party. I think we share an aspiration to get beyond designation and its salience in the institutions. Would that be to the next largest party in general, and what protections do you envisa…”

“On that point, I know the SDLP hosted a roundtable with civil society organisations, being clear that most of the asks they would bring to parties for their manifestos would likely not be delivered because of Stormont failures. We are ready for a process convened by the Governments, but if that does not happen, would y…”

“Your party and you sitting there today have talked about how your party has championed reform—”

“You are talking about things that happened, but you have not answered the question. How would equalising the titles or the Assembly returning injure any one community? It is a very straightforward question.”

“Could you outline how equalising the titles could injure any one community? You have not done that, and I would just like you to answer the question that I asked.”

“And the TUV, who have not been known to be soft in terms of the interests of the Union.”

“Your party and you sitting there today have talked about how your party has championed reform—”

“I do not think we have heard how the Assembly existing, or synchronising the titles would injure one community. We have heard views on how reform can and cannot progress. You rightly said that your party has championed reform. Matthew O’Toole set out that for years very substantial reforms, including to mandatory coali…”

“Could you outline how equalising the titles could injure any one community? You have not done that, and I would just like you to answer the question that I asked.”

“You are talking about things that happened, but you have not answered the question. How would equalising the titles or the Assembly returning injure any one community? It is a very straightforward question.”

“Gavin, you said that relationships and willingness were at the core of the dysfunction. How would you characterise those relationships? What do the DUP do to improve relationships and build trust and confidence?”

“I appreciate that there are things that you would like to say, but I have asked you a specific question, which you are refusing to answer.”

“Had your party sought to reach a compromise proposal, for example, through amendment? Can you give examples of where the DUP has not sought to use its veto on an issue it disagrees with? I suppose there is a perception that the DUP will not allow anything to go forward that it does not approve.”

“You said that your party is pro-reform. I just want to establish—”

“There isn’t an answer.”

“Matthew O’Toole spoke about potential sequencing. He talked about not boiling the ocean, in effect, but getting to some short, sharp reforms to give confidence that the institutions will return after May, before moving on. Would you support that logic, and what do you think should be prioritised?”