A United Ireland. Opening up the discussion.

[heganboy]

Villiers gone, no replacement yet.

one comment on another forum that puts it in this thread "may the next one be the last one" blind optimism from one camp...

[armaghniac]

Villiers gone, no replacement yet.

one comment on another forum that puts it in this thread "may the next one be the last one" blind optimism from one camp...

A job for Baron (Christopher) Patten of Barnes?

[Harold Disgracey]

Quite appropriate that the new SoS is called Brokenshire.

[Aristo 60]

Ye couldn't make it up.

[heganboy]

Micheál Martin joins the debate:
.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/17/micheal-martin-says-ireland-could-see-reunification-referendum

The leader of Ireland's main opposition party said he hopes Brexit will move Ireland closer to reunification.

Micheál Martin said a reunification referendum should be called if it becomes clear a majority want to see an end to Irish partition over the UK decision to leave the EU.

The Fianna Fáil leader added that Northern Ireland's 56% majority vote to remain within the bloc could be a defining moment for the region. He made his remarks delivering the annual John Hume lecture at the MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Co Donegal.

"It may very well be that the decision of Northern Ireland to oppose the English-driven anti-EU UK majority is a defining moment in Northern politics," he saiD


"The remain vote may show people the need to rethink current arrangements. I hope it moves us towards majority support for unification, and if it does we should trigger a reunification referendum.

"However, at this moment the only evidence we have is that the majority of people in Northern Ireland want to maintain open borders and a single market with this jurisdiction, and beyond that with the rest of Europe."

The 310-mile border that separates the island of Ireland is the only land border between the UK and the rest of the EU. Although heavily militarised with checkpoints and road closures during the Troubles, the peace process has opened up a seamless crossing between both jurisdictions.

Tens of thousands of people pass over the border every day on their way to work, for shopping or on day trips. Concerns about its status after the Brexit result – and whether free movement of people, goods and services will be affected – have dominated political debate since the poll.



During the referendum campaign, Theresa May indicated some form of border control would be required in Ireland if the UK voted to leave the EU. But just last week, Northern Ireland's new secretary of state James Brokenshire insisted he does not want to see a hardening of the border.

Martin, a former foreign affairs minister whose party is leading opinion polls and whose backing is needed by the minority Fine Gael government, said any "new barriers between both parts of this island would potentially set us back decades".

"The most urgent thing which is required is an immediate end to the hands-off detachment of recent years," he said.

"It is a sad reality that our government and our media have tended to ignore Northern Ireland except when there is a crisis.

"Meeting the challenge of Brexit is a moment to end this and also to begin rebuilding public faith in politics."


Martin called for an all-island response to Brexit that reaches out "to excluded groups, to show that a broader range of interests than those articulated by the dominant political parties can be heard".

He added: "I have in particular stressed our belief that civil society must be included together with business, unions and professional organisations."

[foxcommander]

Fianna fail have aspirations for a united Ireland??

Is it april 1st?

Someone better break the news gently to the ex-wicklow party chairman. The fat f**ker will have a heart-attack.

[armaghniac]

Enda Kenny on the case now, suggesting that a UI was one solution to the NI EU problem.

[ashman]

Fianna fail have aspirations for a united Ireland??

Is it april 1st?

Someone better break the news gently to the ex-wicklow party chairman. The fat f**ker will have a heart-attack.

FF have gazumped your mob here kiddo . 

[OgraAnDun]

Do the recent comments by Martin and by Enda signify that change is coming, and the British government has told Dublin that they will probably offer us a border poll sometime in the not so distant future?

[muppet]

Do the recent comments by Martin and by Enda signify that change is coming, and the British government has told Dublin that they will probably offer us a border poll sometime in the not so distant future?

I don't think so.

It could be simply a strategic card that I hope hasn't been played too early. If Foster isn't playing ball with the UK, then this is the sort of thing that London would use to put manners on her, but of course they couldn't say it publicly themselves. So Dublin would say it.

However it is very hard to believe that Dublin and the new mob in London even have a hymn sheet yet, never mind that they are singing off it.

So I'd guess Martin is doing it with an eye on SF votes at the next election and Enda is responding to that. But I hope I am wrong.

[armaghniac]

Do the recent comments by Martin and by Enda signify that change is coming, and the British government has told Dublin that they will probably offer us a border poll sometime in the not so distant future?

You wouldn't know, Cameron's last call to Enda might have said that he was recommending his successor to get rid of the whole mess. Scotland is the confusing factor here, to get rid of NI London needs to provide a generous dowry and they cannot easily come up with a formula that would give Scotland feck all while providing for NI.

[OgraAnDun]

Do the recent comments by Martin and by Enda signify that change is coming, and the British government has told Dublin that they will probably offer us a border poll sometime in the not so distant future?

I don't think so.

It could be simply a strategic card that I hope hasn't been played too early. If Foster isn't playing ball with the UK, then this is the sort of thing that London would use to put manners on her, but of course they couldn't say it publicly themselves. So Dublin would say it.

However it is very hard to believe that Dublin and the new mob in London even have a hymn sheet yet, never mind that they are singing off it.

So I'd guess Martin is doing it with an eye on SF votes at the next election and Enda is responding to that. But I hope I am wrong.

When Martin came out with it, I thought it was a play for some of the SF votes and with an eye on northern nationalist votes when (if they carry through with their plans to) contest the Stormont elections in 2019, but most people in the south who would be swayed by a republican/nationalist tone wouldn't look at FG let alone vote for them.

Like armaghniac, I think that Westminster might see this as an ideal time to get rid of us, and in the existing turbulence and turmoil, nobody will even notice. But you have a point in that a hymn sheet probably hasn't been drawn up yet, let alone communicated to Dublin.

[armaghniac]

But you have a point in that a hymn sheet probably hasn't been drawn up yet, let alone communicated to Dublin.

What hymns are there do you think?

God Moves in a Mysterious Way
How Firm A Foundation
I Vow To Thee My Country
And Can It Be

Probably not Jerusalem.

[OgraAnDun]

Depends who is in on the making of it, some of the fleggers would tell you that The Sash is a hymn.

[foxcommander]

I can only see this as Micheal chancing his arm with those who have a renewed sense of nationalism after the 1916 events this year.
Lots of potential young voters to be influenced who probably think that Bertie and Brian are those lads off Sesame Street.