Laois Independent Republican TD Brian Stanley says that he would love to see a Border Poll in the coming years but only wants it put to the country when the work is done that it can be safely passed.
The issue of of a United Ireland has arguably gathered momentum since Brexit but simultaneous referendums would have to be held – and passed – on both sides of the border were it happen.
A Border Poll can be called by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if it is likely it would pass.
“I want to see a Border Poll (but) I want to see us winning the Border Poll,” said Stanley this week on the latest episode of the LaoisToday LoveLaois Podcast.
“And one of the problems that I have is that from Sinn Féin’s point of view, it’s the first thing to say, and the only thing they say is keep repeating, a Border Poll, a Border Poll.
“But there’s no point in having the Border Poll if we’re not going to win it.
“And there’s work to be done. I mean, I would like to see the Border Poll yesterday, and counting the votes today, and we’re winning it. But the facts are, as a Republican, there’s work to be done.
“And one of the, you know, the big things we need to do, and this needs to be done at all levels, is the North-South Ministerial Council, that’s really important. And that’s important that that’s meeting again. That was in cold storage for a good few years.
“You now have a situation where ministers North and South are meeting, and that’s good from the executive and from the government here in the South.
“But it also needs to happen in terms of more joined up between government, between public services, the health services, for example.
One of the big victories that came out of Brexit, that through all the difficulties, we didn’t have a hard border reimposed. The fact that we managed to keep the six counties in the European Common Market.
“That must be developed further, to bring it further in and get representation for the North in the European Parliament, which they don’t have any at the moment.”
The cost of unification will be one of the considerable discussion points but the Laois TD argues that there are cost benefits too.
“There’s a debate about the cost,” he added. “There’s some economists who wouldn’t like to see a United Ireland. They’ll put up a strong case and they’ll have one set of figures.
“But there are other sets of figures. There’s a number of assessments that actually show the economic benefits of it. I mean, the North, the North as a state … is a failed political and economic entity because it’s too small on its own.
“The economy on the island is the all-Ireland economy.
“Within the European Union, for whatever faults and whatever criticisms we may have of it, we’re in the European Union and we should do the best we can with that.
“The economic driver in this country is the over seven million people in total on the island. … the best future for this island in every way, socially, economically, politically, culturally, is in the reunification.
“People talk about unification. It’s the reunification. Because this country was always one unit.”
You can listen to the episode in full below – or on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
SEE ALSO – Check out all previous episodes of the LoveLaois Podcast here
