Mr. Seamus Sloyan:

I will be very brief. As I look around, I believe I am the oldest person here at 84 years of age. Why do I bother? Senator McDowell hit it on the head; it is because I care. I have four children and seven grandchildren. I care about the country they will inherit. A united Ireland is inevitable. It will not happen in my lifetime but it will happen in my grandchildren's lifetime. I am confident of that.

A number of things have to be taken into account. The time for a border poll is not now. A 50% plus one majority would be a disaster; it has to be more definitive than that. What comes next after the border poll, if it is in favour of a united Ireland? On policing, what would our police force be called? The PSNI and An Garda Síochána would have to be joined together in some form or another.

Where would the seats of Government be? Would they be in Dublin? Would they be in Belfast? As regards the national anthem, I would be in favour of changing it altogether. If we were united, it should be "A Nation Once Again" because we would be one nation.

The Irish language is a beautiful language. It will be spoken by the minority in the next 50 years. However, British or unionists have no interest in it. That's okay. As regards the flag, will the white be taken out of the flag and the green and orange joined? The unionist role in a united Ireland is very important. The first thing that would have to happen is an all-Ireland election. If that happened, the unionist population would elect their representatives just as they do now. That would start a government, and rightly so.

On our shared culture, we cannot ignore the fact that the Battle of the Boyne took place; it is part of our culture. The Easter Rising took place; it is part of our culture. The Siege of Derry took place; it is part of our culture. There is no use sweeping these away. They are a part of what we were and what we will always be. Ireland's relationship with Britain would be a lot happier and we would be better friends in a united Ireland than we are at present.