I second Senator Rose Conway-Walsh's proposed amendment to the Order of Business.

There is a political crisis in Northern Ireland centred on confidence in the very hard fought for, hard negotiated for and hard won institutions set up under the Good Friday Agreement which none of us should take for granted. How does one lay out the context of what appears to be a very comprehensive squandering of £400 million through what appears to be and what is alleged to be a fundamentally flawed scheme from top to bottom? The context also includes potential interference by special advisers and potential manipulation of the scheme by alleged benefactors of the DUP. It has also been alleged that subsequent DUP Ministers in the former Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment did not act to close the scheme down, despite many public expressions of concern both inside and outside the Assembly chamber. As we know in this state, Sinn Féin does not do unaccountable politics. That is why we have proposed a judge-led, time-bound and independent inquiry to investigate every aspect of the concerns about this scandal. Our Minister of Finance, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, has moved swiftly to shut down any further abuse of the scheme and to work to redress any further loss to the public purse. This must be at the heart of what we try to do. If we value the institutions in this House and if the Government values the institutions set up under the Good Friday Agreement, this is not the time for party politicking or stunt politics which manifested in the Assembly yesterday; rather, it is the time to assist and defend the integrity of the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements. We need to be very clear that the institutions and the Government state they will stand up for the rights and equality of citizens, regardless of from where they come, and in defence of the public purse and that they will not allow the scheme to go unchallenged or those who have abused it to go unpunished.

I join other speakers in passing my condolences to the people of Berlin, Zürich and Ankara. We all send our heartfelt condolences to the families of those who died in these awful events.

It is welcome that there will be open recruitment of nurses and midwives in Dr. Steevens' Hospital from 28 to 30 December. It is for nurses and midwives across the health service and the first of many recruitment drives due to be held in 2017. It is very positive that people can get information, bring in their CVs, apply on the day and be interviewed. It is a good news story that jobs are on offer and that the health service is answering the call to meet demand. I encourage as many nurses and midwives who are anxious to get back into the recruitment process and work to come along and attend the first of these many recruitment drives.