Sinn Féin National Chairperson Declan Kearney has welcomed the passing of a motion in the Assembly supporting greater north-south co-operation.

The South Antrim MLA said:

“I welcome the passing of this motion in the Assembly which recognises the huge potential of improved north-south co-operation, and has called for this to be further developed.

“This is a significant result and speaks to the changing political landscape on our island.

“Constitutional change is on the political horizon. That is a powerful incentive to develop increased areas of all island co-operation.

“On the eve of the last general election each of the main political parties made commitments to advance Irish unity, there is now an onus on the coalition parties to live up to those commitments in their Programme for Government.

“The new Irish government’s PfG should have embraced a step change by designing an approach supporting constitutional transition, including the objective of securing a unity referendum within this decade.

“Sinn Féin has made the case that an Irish Government should establish an inclusive and welcoming Citizens’ Assembly and create a Minister for Reunification at the Department of An Taoiseach.

“Increased cross-border co-operation does indeed hold huge transformative potential for all our people, but it is time for the Irish Government to frame that dynamic within the political imperative of also properly planning for Irish unity.”