Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)

Standing here today I am convinced we are closer than we have ever been to reunification. I have no doubts about this and, as an active Irish republican, I am more interested in what type of united Ireland will emerge. Will it be an inclusive Ireland in which the natural resources and enormous wealth of the country will be used for the benefit of people regardless of class, creed or where they reside?

There are those who argue that advocates of Irish unity should remain silent about our political objective. They claim that even to state this objective is unhelpful and would increase tensions as efforts are made to restore the institutions established under the Good Friday Agreement. I do not agree with this position. It is imperative that we are open in the debate in the House and in wider engagement with all those who live and share space on this island. Only on the basis of real and meaningful engagement can we make progress on peace and reconciliation and resolve our differences.

Sinn Féin wants all those who say they believe in Irish unity to begin the important work to persuade the Unionist community of the advantages of reunification. I say this in the knowledge that much work lies ahead and respecting the right of the Unionist community to maintain its British identity. It is obvious there is a considerable gulf of distrust and misunderstanding on all sides. More than a decade into the peace process, with all the initiatives taken by republicans and policy changes they have made, Unionists remain sceptical about our sincerity. As to how much of this is due to the failure of the leaders of unionism over the past ten years, that is a matter for debate.

There is no doubt that many Unionist leaders are either opposed to change or reluctant to embrace it. They do not encourage dialogue between communities. There is also no doubt that many of those with whom Sinn Féin engages are much more open-minded about the need for change and dialogue than their political leaders. This proves the potential for change which will emerge once real dialogue takes place. While Sinn Féin is committed to developing dialogue, I am struck by the unfortunate blind spot among all shades of unionism about their role in the conflict. They do not appear to realise the impact on Northern Catholics and Nationalists of the years between 1920 and 1969 when a Protestant and Unionist state was imposed on us and those who lived through those years, not to speak of the role of unionism up to this day.

In our journey towards real equality in the North, those within unionism who previously prospered during the years of discrimination and injustice will feel threatened. In some cases this sense of alienation has been exacerbated by the collapse of traditional Unionist industries such as shipbuilding. However, none of this can be an excuse for further stalling the process of change or delaying the basic rights and entitlements required under the Good Friday Agreement.

These are the difficult realities we must address. Irrespective of how difficult are the obstacles to dialogue, they need to be tackled and overcome. Republicans know this task is not an easy but a formidable one. We are trying to unravel centuries of conflict and living separately on a small island. We know it will take time and political change before we arrive at a satisfactory point at which we can state we have really begun the journey of genuine national reconciliation.

I speak from this Chamber specifically to the Unionist community. I ask for endorsement of the fact that Sinn Féin is committed to building peace, promoting national reconciliation and developing our party's consciousness and structures in a manner which will enable us to genuinely reach out to Unionists and the broader Protestant community. When Sinn Féin speaks of Irish unity we mean more than the removal of partition, we also mean the unity of the people of Ireland and we seek a process of national reconciliation, an end to sectarianism and unity of purpose.

When Sinn Féin tells Unionists that it unashamedly advocates a united Ireland, we do not do so to antagonise them but because it makes economic and social sense, not only for republicans but for all the people of Ireland, North and South, east and west, Catholic, Protestant and dissenter, Muslim and Jew, agnostic and atheist. Sinn Féin has consistently urged an island-wide approach in key policy areas, including the economy, health, education, employment, agriculture, arts and tourism, but this approach must be allowed to develop in a real and meaningful way.

Unionists should not underestimate the political clout they will have in a united Ireland. Their status will change from that of a tiny minority to approximately 20% of the population. Surely a united Ireland would constitute a real opportunity for Unionists to exert real control over their destiny. In stark contrast to their current position those from a Unionist background will be significant players in any new Ireland. They will have the ability to implement coherent social and economic policies on the basis of the country as a whole, rather than have them decided in Westminster where their interests must be negotiated with Britain.

The cultural identity of unionism would be welcome in the new Ireland and would add to the diversity and vitality of our culture. The new Ireland republicans envision is all-inclusive and will be a place in which all will be cherished equally, both individually and collectively. We have shown by our actions that it is not mere rhetoric. Alex Maskey, in his role as lord mayor of Belfast, led the way in reaching out to unionism. Equality for all and inclusiveness were the hallmarks of his term in office. No one was excluded, and the City Hall was truly open to everyone. Mr. Maskey strove to represent all the people of Belfast, and not just republicans, as his laying of the wreath at the cenotaph testified. Civic leaders throughout this island also have a role to play. Previous mayors of this city, from the various parties in Leinster House, have in the past, with varying degrees of success, made a conscious effort to reach out to civic leaders of the Unionist persuasion in the North. That work should be commended by all here today.

Unionists have nothing to fear and everything to gain from Irish unity. It is inevitable, and we ask them to join us as partners in building a new Ireland. Sinn Féin believes that planning for a united Ireland should begin now.

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