Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I echo my colleague, Deputy Smith, in all of what he said. I very much welcome this debate. I would speak about the concept of a united Ireland until the cows come home. It is something I grew up with and is something which is innate within me. We need to have this discussion and we need dialogue between all parties.

A majority of members on this committee are very much in favour of a united Ireland. The elephant in the room is the fact we do not have enough of the divergent voices at this committee meeting. Referring to what Deputy Smith said, have we fulfilled the Good Friday Agreement? Last night, Naomi Long made a very valid comment. To paraphrase her, she said that if there is a divided Northern Ireland, there will not be a united Ireland. Northern Ireland is divided in terms of flags. How are we going to bring along people? We need to bring them along. We need clear actions and a path forward. I will jump on that path but we need a correct path. It needs clear actions.

I echo what Deputy Tóibín said, that it is about convergence. How do we work east-west and North-South on converging our island to make it a single island and to make it stick? A hundred years on, where are we in regard to partition? We do not want to be 200 years on or 100 years on from a border poll and still be at the top of that hill, and still be divided. Unionists are still very much a part of this island. We need to start celebrating a shared history and our shared past. Going back to my own personal story, the McGreehans landed in Castletowncooley straight after the Battle of the Boyne, when William cleared out north County Louth.

We came afterwards and plenty of unionists came along with that wave. We could say that I came with the unionists and with that story. It is part of my story and we are still living and farming in Castletowncooley to this day. It is a similar path to that of many people on this island who are very proud of it and we need to embrace it. We need to look at how we can jump on a path together. It really does need to be part of a convergence and part of an inclusive story.

To go back to another Louth person, D'Arcy McGee went to Canada and helped to created much of the democracy there and brought together people in Canada united in diversity. If this committee were to bring about anything it should be to be very clear that we need to be united in all our diversity. I welcome the conversation and the debate last night but we need to be very careful that we do not march ourselves up to the top of the hill and say we will go for a border poll but leave many people behind. I thank the Chair for the opportunity to speak.