Mr. Raymond McCord:

I thank everyone for inviting me to come down here and speak. It is great that someone from the unionist community is getting the opportunity to speak here. At the minute, there is no leadership in the unionist community. There seems to be more debate in Dublin than in Belfast. The unionist politicians fail my family and the community.

Regarding the referendum, I would like to think the people from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have learned a lesson from Brexit. The lies that were told during the Brexit campaign from both camps did not help. People in Northern Ireland voted to remain, as I did. Again, unionist politicians decided to go with what the rest of the UK said. The troubles we are having at the minute and the issues regarding the elections in Belfast are a failure not just of the unionist party but of politicians over in London. Again, the word "failure" keeps coming up.

As somebody from the unionist community, I have no fear of a referendum as long as it is done properly. Until now, the talks that have taken place in Belfast regarding what we would term a border poll have been totally wrong. One community being represented at debates will not help people, the vote or the referendum. All it will do is inflame the old orange and green argument, which is part and parcel of the problem in Ireland. I want what is best for my grandchildren in the future, not what certain politicians from both communities want. I cannot just point the finger at the likes of the Democratic Unionist Party, DUP. The referendum has to be done in a fair way. I took a court case for a border poll to Dublin courts and also in Belfast. I wanted criteria set so that none or both of the two biggest parties in Northern Ireland, Sinn Féin and the DUP, can use a united Ireland poll – or not having one – as a big stick at elections to make it an orange and green issue. It should not be an orange and green issue; it should be a people’s issue. That would be something rare in Northern Ireland politics.

When I see what is happening in Belfast in talks related to a united Ireland and what happened at the Waterfront Hall, I see a total lack of respect for the unionist community, with unionists not being called to speak and give their opinions. We have come down to Dublin today and we are welcomed. The welcome has been great, as are the people here and the time and effort put into this for my solicitor and I to come down. It is completely different. I want to see that happen in Belfast long before there is even talk about a referendum. I want to see the parties or organisers invite people from the unionist community so they are not frightened of speaking and telling the truth. That is what is happening in Belfast. There is a fear among political parties in Northern Ireland of unionists speaking and calling this out for what it is.

Unionists look at what happened over the years in Northern Ireland. I have said many times that nationalist people were discriminated against. I worked in a shipyard and I saw what happened. Will there be discrimination in reverse? Is it the case that people in political parties will say the Brits do not want unionists, so they have no choice and will do what we say? That will not work. Many issues need to get ironed out in a referendum. Will unionists ask people in Dublin whether the police force down here will be 50:50? That was a big thing in Northern Ireland and I was glad to see it changing.

The police in Northern Ireland did not only discriminate against Catholic people. It discriminated against Protestant unionists. The case of my son and other people from the unionist community are classic examples of that. I hope the Dublin Government and the people talking about a referendum learn from that.

I will welcome a referendum but long before it happens, there needs to be discussions with people from the unionist community. I ask the Senate to ensure it is ordinary unionist people who get to speak. Unionist politicians have shown they do not represent us. I do not want to see people who would be seen wearing suits in the daytime and balaclavas at night within our community. I ask the Senate to invite more people from the unionist community who are not afraid to speak out. This forum sends a message to people from the unionist people that they are welcome.

I will make a criticism of the Senate, and it is a good criticism. I do not see unionists sitting in the Irish Senate and I would like to see that. That is needed before we even start talking about having a referendum.