Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

——when I speak about uniting the country I do not refer to a Government in Dublin, rather a healing of the divisions between the people on this island. Now that the murderous campaigns of the IRA and other paramilitaries have ended, we have a real opportunity to advance towards this objective and of which we can avail in the fullness of time. What must be clear is that the opportunity will not be realised by those who believe unity can be achieved by force or sleight of hand. Neither can this unity be achieved by those blind to the reality of the situation in so far as they are stubbornly opposed to progress that is acceptable to normal and reasonable people on this island.

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