Speeches by Robinson.

“There is no consensus that reform should happen. When you say that, you just confirm your majoritarian—”

“In the past.”

“He has asked me that question already, so I have engaged in that discussion with him. I repeated what I said to you: we can happily engage in those discussions, but that the AERC is engaged in that work currently, that we do not believe there should be any à la carte or fundamental change to the consensus aspiration me…”

“There is no consensus that reform should happen. When you say that, you just confirm your majoritarian—”

“In the past.”

“Good morning, Chair; thank you for having me. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to give evidence to the Committee and for completing a bit of parliamentary trivia, as I am the first member of a Committee to give evidence twice over a decade. We have achieved something at least.”

“I think about some of the reflections of the witnesses already. It is all too easy to forget that in Northern Ireland, we have an important system of government and a Government of necessity. If you were to compare and contrast it with Westminster, you would have a Cabinet with Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal De…”

“I think about some of the reflections of the witnesses already. It is all too easy to forget that in Northern Ireland, we have an important system of government and a Government of necessity. If you were to compare and contrast it with Westminster, you would have a Cabinet with Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal De…”

“I do not think it is the case that all signed up. Some may lament the 2006 reforms, but they were attained and agreed by the majorities within both communities; consensus was reached, not by everybody, but by the majorities. In “New Decade, New Approach” there was publication of the Governments’ views. There was not fu…”

“I am not sure how beneficial continuing this conversation would be in the run-up to an election. I get a sense, as I mentioned this earlier, that there are people clearly engaged in this discussion because they think it electorally useful for them. There has been an insatiable desire on the part of a number of parties …”

“In the past.”

“First, I question that the good will is there. The lack of delivery that we have seen comes out of a lack of willingness to constructively work together or to recognise that the fact that we have a system that has protections built within it, but that should lead to engagement, consensus and agreement about what can be…”

“There is no refusal, because I started my answer by saying that these things cannot be dealt with in an à la carte way. That is my answer. My answer is that if you are going to have a discussion—”

“I will answer your question. I think it is important that if you are interested in the views of the DUP, then you hear them, rather than hear what you wish to.”

“I am glad you corrected yourself—”

“You have to hear, rather than assume.”

“Well, I have, and you have to hear, rather than assume.”

“You have heard me say in this Committee a number of times that I get frustrated when people talk about vetoes and blocks. Because that is the end of the process, when people have failed to engage or compromise, and want to inject majoritarianism in a system that by necessity requires consensus. If you take just this we…”

“I have given you an answer not only once but twice now. If it is about strand 1, you cannot just cherry-pick. I have heard witnesses today suggest that they could improve the world if you change the designation of First Minister and Deputy First Minister, but I am suggesting to you, first, that that is fanciful; second…”

“I do not think it is the case that all signed up. Some may lament the 2006 reforms, but they were attained and agreed by the majorities within both communities; consensus was reached, not by everybody, but by the majorities. In “New Decade, New Approach” there was publication of the Governments’ views. There was not fu…”