Laois Indepdent TD Brian Stanley says that now is the time to begin the process for the reunification of Ireland.
Deputy Stanley outlined his case by stating that it has been more than 100 years since partition.
He said: “It’s been 27 years since the Good Friday Agreement was endorsed, north and south, and over 100 years since partition.
‘The Government [meaning the British Government] of Ireland Act 1920 is repealed; and this Act shall have effect notwithstanding any other previous enactment’.
“That line in an annexe to the document was the thing that tilted it for me, the fact that Britain was prepared to relinquish its claim to the North if the majority of people, north and south, in a referendum decided on a united Ireland. That line was key.
It has been over 100 years since partition. Connolly predicted “a carnival of reaction”, and how correct he was.
“Two reactionary states is exactly what we got: one Orange state and one southern State that was a narrow, clerical State.
“The Good Friday Agreement provided for national reunification of the territory. It is time we stepped up a gear.”
According to Deputy Stanley, Northern Ireland is a ‘failed political entity’.
He said: “Preparations need to begin, and winning support and planning for reunification need to be given a new importance, not just by the Government but by all of us. Partition failed. The North is a failed political entity.
“We have managed to circle a square for now and it trundles along, but it is not really a successful political entity. It is a failed military project on behalf of Britain, and a failed economic entity because it cannot survive on its own.
“The British Government’s actions caused division and conflict and retarded the economic and political development of this island over the past 100 years.
We are in a better place now, but we recognise that Ireland is a small island. There are 7 million people in a relatively small country.
“It does not make sense to have it divided, with separate currencies, revenue systems, taxation, energy systems, transport, agriculture, education and so on. None of this ever made political or economic sense. It created a multitude of trading and political problems.
“It exposed how ridiculous partition was. A hard border was just about avoided because of the joint efforts of the Opposition, the Government and a lot of other people in Europe and everywhere else who contributed to that and ensured we did not have a hard border.
“The Six Counties were retained in the EU Single Market – just about – for trade and movement of goods and services.
“That is welcome, but problems remain, including bureaucracy with trade, the two currencies, the two sets of standards, and British and EU revenue systems. We cannot get away from that. It does cause problems.
“The development of the all-Ireland economy is happening. The North-South Ministerial Council is meeting again, which is positive.
“There is co-operation on several matters such as infrastructure, health, energy and now, domestic violence, which is overdue.
“We need to give agriculture environmental protection because environmental damage does not recognise any borders. There is education and there are a whole range of other areas.
“On infrastructure, there are the plans to advance the A5 and the Ulster Canal, and Narrow Water Bridge is under way.
“All of that needs to move ahead apace, but other critical infrastructure now needs to be progressed, including rail connections. Most important of all is the North-South electricity interconnector.
“A reunited Ireland has to be a just and inclusive Ireland, a system based on social justice with proper public services, with workers’ rights respected and disabled people included.
“Military neutrality has to be upheld, and we need to be a strong voice in Europe. We can be critical sometimes of Europe.
“It does not mean we are anti-European. We need an Ireland that looks out internationally, helping the people of Gaza and other parts of the world where people are suffering.
“People in the North are more open to discussions about reunification. There is a growing demand within the nationalist community.
“The development of a national health system is really important and will be key There are strengths and problems in both health systems, they need to be harnessed, and we need to create a proper Irish national health system.”
In order to do this, Deputy Stanley says that a citizens’ assembly, civic forum, North-South forum or all-Ireland forum need to be established.
He said: “We need to move on the voting rights for presidential elections and, I believe, Seanad elections for people in the North.
“We need to identify opportunities and start planning for a referendum.
“We need to promote the debate and while doing what we need to respect other people’s identities. The identity of Unionists needs to be respected.
“We need to assure Unionists of fairness in a 32-county reunited Ireland. We need to assure them in relation to political representation in a new 32-county Dáil.
“We need to talk to those who are not yet convinced, North and South. We should not talk at them, like some parties do. We need to talk to them and listen to them.
“The new President, Uachtarán nua, will have a key role in this.
“I believe Catherine Connolly will be the best one to do that. We need to get a referendum going within this decade. We need to start the plans and get them advanced for Irish unity. If we fail to plan, we plan to fail.
“Micheál Martin says the time is not now. Full reconciliation has to a precondition but that will mean it will never happen. Yes, we need to advance reconciliation and we should promote it.
“Of course we should. I have met people from the unionist community in the past, including some loyalists. We should reach out and meet people who were traditionally our opponents.
“Reconciliation is important and we must continue working with that, but it cannot be a block to progress. Micheál Martin says the time is not right but the time to start this work is now. We need to move on with it.”
SEE ALSO – Kevin Meaney on building his business and backing the Laois ladies footballers
