Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

I wish to share time with Deputies Connolly, Cowley and Catherine Murphy. A motion such as this at any time in the House is a useful means of discussing how we got to where we are and the sacrifices and changes that have been made. Recognition and acknowledgement must be given to those who have chosen to go down a fully political route. The unfortunate nature of this debate not only concerns the movers of the motion but also the reaction it has stirred in those who oppose it directly and means we might be going backwards in terms of our approach to this issue.

The Good Friday Agreement is the template that has been agreed by all political parties on this island. While it is a flawed agreement in many respects, having been born out of compromise, it is that by which we have all agreed to go forward. The Green Party believes that any attempt to pre-empt that agreement, or seeking to change its nature or content will be met with an opposite reaction by other communities on this island who feel the Good Friday Agreement is a compromise too far for their traditions.

The Green Party proposed an amendment to the second part of this motion only, as all Members of this House can readily agree with the first part. The difficulty we must acknowledge in the legitimate aspiration held by many in this country for a unitary state is what the reaction of ordinary Irish citizens would be to such a state coming into being. Some work has been done by economic consultants on what the cost would be. We must recognise that the Northern Irish statelet is heavily subsidised by the British Government. A united Ireland any time in the foreseeable future would mean enormous changes and sacrifices in the economic life of this country.

I believe all political parties in this House hold this legitimate aspiration, and they must be honest with themselves and ask whether they are prepared to put that price tag on achieving it. Are they prepared to state what the higher taxes are likely to be in the event of a unitary Ireland? Are they prepared to state how services will be compromised to deal with a population of 5 or 6 million as opposed to 4 million? These are the hard questions that must be asked even before we get to the stage of considering how we can make hearts and minds coalesce with each other.

That is the difficulty the Green Party sees with this motion. It is a difficulty with the use of language and the failure to recognise other traditions on the island sufficiently in considering how to achieve this legitimate aspiration. Fortunately, the use of force has been forsaken. However, the danger is that political torment may be stirred up. Who can say whether violence will be used to prevent the achievement of this legitimate aspiration within Northern Ireland or throughout this island?

My party recently decided to organise itself on an all-island basis. That was not without its birth-pains. It was agreed by Comhaontas Glas, and also by the Green Party in Northern Ireland at a recent gathering. It was not done in the context of creating a one-nation party, rather in recognition of synergies in organising rules of political engagement on this island and our shared needs in the environment, agriculture and tourism. It also recognises the tenet of the Good Friday Agreement that not only should there be such synergies on a North-South level, those synergies should also be encouraged on an east-west level. As a third phase of that process, the Scottish Green Party will meet this weekend to discuss its links with the Green Party in Northern Ireland and how the three different groups can promote our common political agenda, taking full cognisance of the historic relationship that exists.

As the peace process progresses, I hope the situation becomes less contentious. Unfortunately because of our electoral cycle and that of the British, we will be engaged in a war or words on many of these issues. I will conclude with an appeal that as we progress on this issue, more thought is given to the effect of pursuing legitimate political aspirations in a way that will not affect the competing traditions that live on this island.

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