Mr. Eoghan Halvey:

My name is Eoghan Halvey. I am 17 and I am the chairperson for the National Venture Representatives of Scouting Ireland, one of the largest youth organisations in Ireland. I am honoured to have the opportunity to speak hear today on a topic that has become a conversation on most people's lips recently: the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland unifying politically. It is surrounded by many questions from healthcare to a new national flag. This afternoon, I would like to cover the cultural benefits and issues in a possible unification, the problem of how to deal with the different healthcare services and an all-island approach to climate change.

Irish writer Frank McCourt once said “Ireland, once you live there, you are seduced by it”. From the North to the South of our island, it has so much to offer from our natural beauty, our ancient sports and our culture in music and dance. These cultures are celebrated worldwide but all originate from the one little island in the Atlantic. While on the political side we are divided, from Malin Head to Mizen Head lies a country of beauty and nature. This shows that despite political situations in the past, Ireland has and Ireland always will be famous for its beauty. From the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare to the Giant's Causeway in County Antrim, we have taken advantage of our beauty and made the island as a whole a brilliant tourist destination. I feel that we as an island should keep this up as the beauty of our country should be seen by people from all around the world.

In addition to this beauty, our island already shares historical cultures. The playing of hurling and football is a major tradition in every county across the Ireland, and these sports are already united under one organisation, the GAA. While in the 20th century, playing hurling and football was seen as showing your religion and political view, it has developed more into celebrating the culture of not only the Republic of Ireland but the island as a whole. A similar point can be made about Ireland's history in rugby: we are currently ranked the number one country in the world and not as the Republic of Ireland, but as simply Ireland, with people from the North and the South together to represent our island. They may sing a separate national anthem but together they play with pride and passion leaving everything on the pitch for their country.

The preservation of our rich culture is something that must be taken into account when discussing the possibility of reunifying in any form. This is due to the many social and economic benefits it creates for our country, from the spirit of community being seen around the inter-county championship to people travelling from all around the world to attend the world championships in Irish dancing. That contributes enormously to the hospitality industry.

While there are many cultural similarities, there are also many differences. The head of state is also different in both countries. The Republic's head of state is President Michael D. Higgins and the North's is King Charles III. This is another major cultural issue that surrounds reunification. One solution may be a dual head of State given that there must also be an idea of Britishness linked with the idea of Irishness.

Another issue surrounds the 12 July parades. Traditionally, these parades were riddled with sectarian conflict but nowadays, they are family orientated, with children off school, and are a time to relax. However, a small proportion of people in the North still use them as a time of violence. My sister, who lives in the North, returns home every 12th like many Catholics due to the history surrounding the day, but if Ireland is to unify, this day should still be celebrated as apart of Protestant culture. While it is not as big as St. Patrick's Day, they are very similar, with parades, music and festivities. Socially, the youth of Ireland has developed into respecting other areas' traditions and, although most young people of today are brought up with the ideology of a united Ireland instilled in their mind, respect is shown for everyone's culture.

A survey conducted in 2019 revealed that 56% of people would be opposed to a united Ireland due to the healthcare system possibly changing. In Northern Ireland, medical visits are covered by the UK National Health Service free of charge, while in the Republic, a GP visit costs €60. This is a major issue that must be carefully considered when discussing a united Ireland. Whether it means temporary healthcare for the people of the North during the transition or a complete overhaul of our healthcare system, both would require perfect economic planning to pull off. Even if our countries do not reunite in my lifetime, we should still be unified on certain aspects of healthcare such as cancer treatment and research, stroke services, transplant services and even mental health services, given these issues could benefit the entire island if an all-island approach is taken instead of an all-Ireland approach.

On the topic of an all-island approach, a non-negotiable feature of a united Ireland must be the battle against climate change. Climate change is a problem that has been around for many years, and while it may not affect the current generation, it will definitely affect our future generations, throughout both Ireland and the world. Our target of net-zero emissions by 2050 is, thankfully, shared across our island and Northern Ireland also hopes to make 80% of power in the country renewable.

Both countries together must take big steps for our future. If unification is to happen, we need to build on the peace treaty of the Good Friday Agreement and ensure the idea of unification is one decided by the people and for the people. An all-island referendum will be required and it will not be a decision made by a government alone. Under no circumstances can our peace be jeopardised.