Mr. Christy McQuillan:

A Chathaoirligh, a Sheanadóirí agus a dhaoine uaisle anseo, on behalf of Trade Unionists For a New and United Ireland, I express my appreciation for the opportunity to contribute to this vital debate on the constitutional future of this island. Trade Unionists For a New and United Ireland was established in 2019 with the central aim of promoting the interests of working people and their communities and placing them front and centre in the growing debate on constitutional change. The initiative was launched with a statement endorsed by over 150 trade union leaders, officials and activists from different unions and political and cultural backgrounds in both jurisdictions. It calls for economic and social equality to be put into the heart of this discussion. It is our view that both states in this island have failed working people and that a new and united Ireland would advance the cause of all workers on this island and deliver an Ireland of equality. Accordingly, if there is to be to an united Ireland, it must be a new Ireland which places workers' rights, economic rights, gender rights, as well as universal human rights, front and centre in a new all-Ireland constitution. This was part of our declaration in 2019.

We seek to address the opportunity offered by the Good Friday Agreement for a peaceful, democratic pathway to a new and united Ireland through the provisions for referendums on Irish unity as contained in that agreement. Most importantly, we seek to address key issues, challenges and opportunities for working people on this island around the question of constitutional change and a new and united Ireland. In so doing, we place particular focus on an all-Ireland health service, free to all at the point of entry; workers' rights, particularly the constitutional right to collective bargaining and the right to decent pay; a bill of rights and gender rights; all-Ireland climate action; a constitutional right to housing; and a fairer progressive taxation system across the island.

I would like to comment on Jimmy Nesbitt's reference last Saturday at the event in the 3Arena to a new union of Ireland. I have no difficulty with that term to really identify what the future is about. It does not matter whether it is referred to as a united Ireland, or indeed a new union of Ireland. The Belfast Good Friday Agreement refers quite a number of times to a united Ireland, but it is important that the language can be flexible and interchangeable. What is most important is that we have the debate and that we listen. Many, if not most, of these key issues need to be hardwired, not only into any negotiations or constitutional change, but also into any resulted agreeing constitutional arrangements. There would be little comfort for ordinary working people if there was an eventual sigh of relief that the colour of the postboxes in a united Ireland had been agreed but fundamental rights with regard to health, work and housing were left to the side of the road. I hope I can assist the committee members with any questions they may have. We have a five-page submission that I can advance to them as well.