The programme for Government commits the Government to fulfil its mandate as the co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement. The Brexit chaos and the demographic and political changes of recent years in the North have accelerated the conversation on the merits of unity. Earlier this week, Ireland's Future wrote to the Taoiseach to ask him to plan for the future. That is the core message of the letter signed by more than 1,000 citizens from civic society, including relatives of the 1916 leaders. The signatories are proposing the establishment of a citizens' assembly, reflecting the view of citizens, North and South, or a forum to discuss the future and achieve maximum consensus on the way forward. Does the Taoiseach accept that it is the responsibility of the Government to plan for the future? Will he consult on this?

I thank the Deputy. I read the letter in a newspaper the other day. It arrived in newspapers before it arrived in my office and I did not get a phone call about it in advance. I imagine if I was the Leader of the Opposition, I would have a bee in my bonnet about that and would be feeling disrespected for two years, but I do not. I understand where the signatories are coming from in terms of their request.

A number of citizens' assemblies are in train. The one on gender equality is about to start and the next will be on local government in Dublin. At this stage, I have had at least ten or 15 requests for citizens' assemblies of some sort. We can only have one at a time, but, notwithstanding that, it is something to which I will give some consideration. I am conscious that a general election is under way in the UK and Northern Ireland. I have always been at pains not to make Brexit a constitutional question for very good reasons. I think the Deputy understands why that is the case.