Mr. John Bruton:

I do not think this is going to be a one-stage process. The first stage is reconciliation. I do not think a border poll would be a success or would achieve an outcome that is broadly accepted unless there has been reconciliation first. Reconciliation is not just about whether the split is 51:49, 45:55 or whatever. It is about the communities in Northern Ireland getting to like one other enough to say that whatever outcome is decided, they can live with the other people and that they will help them to live with it from the point of view of their own interests. It is about that sense of a common interest between the communities in Northern Ireland, although it is arguable there are three communities there, given there is a middle ground as well that is neither unionist or nationalist.

The border poll is provided for in the Good Friday Agreement. I certainly would not suggest we rule out holding one at some stage. It is provided for that it would be decided by a simple majority. That issue cannot be changed; that is the way it is. Nevertheless, while that may be the legal position, we have to be prudent and prudence suggests the reconciliation must come before the border poll.

The Senator also asked what the Irish Government should be doing. There is no reason it should not be carrying out work on how a united Ireland might look, not on the basis it is promoting this idea as something to be campaigned for against the wishes of a large number in Northern Ireland but rather as part of the normal exercise of government, which prepares for every contingency. Contingency planning is part of government. There are plans for things we hope will never happen and for ones we hope will happen. There are all sorts of contingency planning and this should be seen as sensible and important contingency planning, looking at the financing, the flags, the emblems and what sort of relationships we will have.

One question concerns what unionists regard as important, and this goes back to what the Chairman was saying earlier. Finding out what unionists regard as important is very important and we have to find ways of responding to that. How we can respond to it and satisfy our own constituents is one thing, but the first stage is about finding out what unionists would feel positively affected by. I recast my remarks, therefore, in response to what he was saying.