Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will say a few words, if I may. This is a very important debate, with Dr. Mitchell challenging the issues today. Something that seems to be missing, not from what she is saying, is maybe an understanding generally in Ireland of who the United Irishmen were, which she referred to, and what they were about. One of the key things that is often not mentioned - this is not accusatory; I am just relating what I think - is that they came from the theory of the French Revolution and that rights were for all people, Catholics and Protestants. They were not oppressive in respect of any religion or any people.

As regards the debate we need here, Dr. Mitchell talks about a united Ireland and I talk about one too, but it is more a united people. In other words, it is about getting a new consensual relationship. The words "united Ireland" can mean many things to many people. Most people have not thought it through. I do not say that rudely or ignorantly, but there has to be a model, and in that model there has to be respect for all communities and traditions. I very much acknowledge and respect Dr. Mitchell's tradition. I refer to the Protestant tradition in terms of the Celtic revival and people like Standish O'Grady, who was defined by Lady Gregory, I think, as a Fenian unionist, if there was ever such a thing. He led the revival in Celtic literature. Douglas Hyde, our first President, was Protestant. We have had huge influences in the southern political environment. Leading the charge on the Enlightenment were clearly people from different religions but particularly from the Presbyterian and Church of Ireland traditions. I have read a fair bit about this time and I spend a lot of my time reading and trying to understand exactly what Dr. Mitchell says in her narrative, that is, that her home area was basically a united Irish area. What that meant at the time was that they felt oppressed in their religion, they were oppressed in their politics and they could not participate fully in society, which is the same way that Catholics would have felt. We have to see people in their history. We need to elaborate more on what the future will be, and that must embrace unionism and the Protestant identity. They must be absolutely convinced of that. Most people here in the South whom I know are of the nationalist tradition, like me.

In order to embrace other identities on this island the future for all of us has to be a new form of relationship. The term "united Ireland" can mean many things. Whatever the future is, it must be embraced fully and freely by unionists. Is that not the reality?

We have to think this through. As I have said to some of our unionist colleagues in Westminster, we need to hear more voices like Dr. Mitchell's and also voices from unionist political parties on what they see as the future, with all of us working together. I say that because many people do not think that through. People think a united Ireland will mean domination of the Six Counties, Northern Ireland or whatever one wants to call the place by the people in the South. The issue is much deeper than that. We have to go back to the tradition of liberty, equality and fraternity. We cannot stress enough that we need to get to that place. If not, we will have hundreds more years of dissension, trouble and violence, which nobody wants. I do not know if Dr. Mitchell would like to comment on that.

There is a broader picture and we need to reach into it to inform people. The leaders of the United Irishmen were primarily a middle class initially. They then joined with the Defenders to form a more revolutionary tradition. Their principles were equality and respect. Dr. Mitchell mentioned a bill of rights. That is where we have to go. We have to ensure the rights of everybody based on individuals and not religion. Whoever they are, people must have the same rights. We must not oppress any minority, whether Catholic, Protestant or whatever else. I do not know whether Dr. Mitchell has a view on that. I feel quite strongly about these issues.