Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald TD has said that it makes common sense to plan for Irish Unity and that those preparations must be led by the Taoiseach and the Irish government. She has said that we cannot unify the people of the island while retaining partition and the division of the border.
She said;
“No longer is the goal of a united Ireland seen as an aspiration. It is seen as a common-sense proposition and necessary for the future prosperity of everyone who calls this island home.
“Of course, preparations and discussions about what a United Ireland should look like must include the unionist community as equals – it must be a process for them as it is for anybody else.
“However, it is a mistake to think that we can unify the people of this island while retaining the division that the border has cemented for generations. It certainly won’t be achieved by pushing back against a referendum on Irish unity.
“It is disappointing that there is no reference to Irish unity in the Programme for Government, and it is disappointing that Micheál Martin failed to address Irish unity today.
“The truth is that any conversation about the future of our island and the Good Friday Agreement must address preparing for a unity referendum.
“We will all have our views on the timing of that, but it needs to be prepared for and the Taoiseach and the government must lead those preparations.
“It is undeniable that the challenges of Covid-19 and Brexit have crystalised the folly and unsustainability of the partition of our island. It is clear to anyone paying attention that there is a growing momentum towards the unity of the country and the conversation about a United Ireland is happening across the island.
“People are re-considering long held views and looking at the possibility and potential of a United Ireland to deliver a better future for us all. Change is happening. There is no value to be found in the Taoiseach and his government failing to recognise that reality and standing against the tide of this change.”
