Speeches by Benn.

“I would be very happy to meet the GAA again, definitely, having met Jarlath Burns, albeit by video.”

“First of all, I read your predecessor Select Committee’s report and all of the recommendations you had made. What is the truth here? The truth is that the power-sharing arrangement contained in the Good Friday agreement and amended subsequently enabled power-sharing Government to come to Northern Ireland. That was an e…”

“It is a really fair question to ask, but it needs to be directed above all to those who have collapsed the institutions. When we seek elected office, and if we are lucky enough to be elected, we take on a responsibility. Being in Government, taking decisions, is tough. It is difficult. You get a lot of criticism and ag…”

“It is an addition to it and a very welcome one because, let us be frank, relations between the last UK Government and the Irish Government were pretty bad, to put it mildly. We have been through a torrid time, not least when the last Government signed agreements and apparently had absolutely no intention of honouring t…”

“I hope what we have said today suggests that we are focusing on all of them.”

“I know Fleur has looked at this. Can I just make a broader observation? This is a great opportunity for all parts of the United Kingdom and for businesses. Let us take an example. Roughly 70% of home heating in Northern Ireland is oil based. A net zero transition means moving away from that to one based on electricity.…”

“You may call it a bargain, and who am I to disagree?”

“There is a defence review taking place. There are two particular issues that are very close to your heart, in relation to Spirit and Harland & Wolff. It is really important that we achieve an outcome in which both of those continue to contribute to aircraft manufacture and to the building of ships. I do not know if it …”

“You were going to ask about that anyway.”

“Yes, of course. As you will be well aware, Boeing is buying back Spirit, because it has had some problems with Spirit’s quality control—I think that would be a fair way of describing it—in the United States. That is not a reflection on any work that has been done at Spirit in Belfast, but it has indicated that it does …”

“I am worried about Mark, who has not been able to say anything. He is probably sitting there thinking, “That’s fine by me”.”

“I agree with you that there is an opportunity. To take advantage of that opportunity, you have to have the capacity to make the things that those who are engaging in defence procurement want to buy. You also need to have stability to encourage investment in Northern Ireland. One observation I would make, going back to …”

“The recruitment process was launched on 16 October. Applications closed on 1 November. The interviews were held—not undertaken by me, but by others—on 14 November. I am currently awaiting a report and recommendations from the interview panel. Following Danny Kinahan’s resignation, I met him and thanked him for the work…”

“I would very much hope so.”

“That depends on when the report appears on my desk and the speed at which I take a decision. I am not bad in the latter. Fleur and I have the privilege of working with the wonderful NAO and civil servants. One of the things that we have found, since we have taken up the posts, is that there are fabulous civil servants …”

“We have a commitment from the Permanent Secretary. What more could you want?”

“You are most kind. Thank you.”

“Thank you.”

“It is not specifically but, if you take hydrogen, which will power part of our industrial future, there is that debate about blue hydrogen as opposed to green hydrogen. Some people say blue hydrogen is the transition to green hydrogen. There is the debate about carbon capture and storage. There are a lot of discussions…”

“It is a fantastic opportunity, but it has to be seized. That is a job for all of us.”