Sinn Féin National Chairperson Declan Kearney MLA has told an Ireland’s Future panel discussion on ‘Planning for a New Ireland’ that there is no reason for the Irish Government to delay the establishment of a national Citizens’ Assembly on constitutional change.

The Minister in the northern power sharing Executive said:

“The momentum for constitutional change on this island has never been stronger. Discussion is taking place everywhere. But this discourse needs to be structured.

“So the time is right to establish a national Citizens’ Assembly on constitutional change. There is no sense for this Irish Government delaying the decision to do so.

“A Citizens’ Assembly would create a platform to give Irish society an opportunity to develop the public policy priorities and the political frameworks to enable the transition towards a new Irish national democracy.”

Addressing the need to establish milestones for the transition towards Irish unity, Declan Kearney said:

“Constitutional change is now firmly fixed on the political horizon. It’s no longer a question of if, or even when, reunification will come about. The important question is how we bring it about.

“The milestones are clear. A national Citizens’ Assembly should be convened. A date should be set for a unity referendum. We need an informed debate to win that referendum. And, there must be a process to prepare the constitutional and political modalities to shape a new constitutional national democracy.

“That transition must be orderly, carefully planned and geared towards unlocking a society and economy which is forward looking, inclusive, and multicultural. 

“New national and democratic arrangements will represent a new modernising influence, similar to other watershed social transformations in recent decades. Constitutional change should be embraced as an unprecedented opportunity to help redesign Irish society.”