For some time now, Sinn Féin in Leinster House have been championing the idea that we establish a joint-Oireachtas Committee on Reunification; to plan, to engage, to research, to inform, to prepare.
For reasons that I can’t get my head around, parties like Fianna Fáil (“The Republican Party”) have actively opposed this most sensible and indeed pretty modest proposal.
They’ve said weird things like “it’s not the time”, “we aren’t ready”, “we don’t want to unsettle people”. They ignore growing political and societal realities – they ignore the Good Friday Agreement which has at its heart the ability to achieve Irish unity peacefully. (Their leader told ‘The Week In Politics’ on Sunday morning that they built the GFA so there’s another stark inconsistency for you!)
At the last All-Ireland Civic Dialogue on Brexit in Dublin Castle, Mary Lou McDonald called for the convening of a similar forum to, in that instance, discuss and plan for unity.
Fianna Fáil still say “nay”.
At last Thursday’s GFA Committee I again put it to Tánaiste Simon Coveney that we establish such a forum as a logical, prudent, responsible and necessary response to the growing demand for Irish Unity.
Fianna Fáil still say “nay”.
So that’s why I found it particularly strange that Colum used his “special place in hell” line at the weekends Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis.
What kind of political leader takes his party into bed with the very same people who he insists there’s a special place in hell for?
Hopefully he’s working hard on getting them to change their minds so we can collectively get on with the important and much needed work of planning for unity.
Seanad Scéal 