Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the remarks of the Taoiseach in Cleveland about a united Ireland. Nothing in life or politics is inevitable. Uniting the people of this island and ending partition is one of the major challenges facing us at the beginning of the 21st century. Aontaímid, sin é mo bharúil, agus creidim sin go han láidir. Tá ceart ag muintir an oileáin seo a bheith saor agus a bheith le chéile ach ni tharlóidh sin gan obair, gan phleanáil agus gan an Rialtas a bheith ag obair le daoine eile.

We need a plan. The Taoiseach's statement in Cleveland was welcome. A united Ireland will only happen when those of us who want it persuade those who want to maintain the union that their future and the future of their children is best served in the new dispensation. Partition is unjust, inefficient, is not working and is costly. We must demonstrate in practical ways why working together as partners and living together as equals is better.

Yesterday, the British Prime Minister and the Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond, agreed a date for a referendum on Scottish independence. The union is now a live debating issue and the people of Scotland will have their say in 2014. The Good Friday Agreement provides for a similar poll, a Border poll, and I invite the Taoiseach to begin dialogue, with those who want a united Ireland and those who do not, about the future. I ask the Taoiseach to come back to the Dáil within the next short while with an outline of how he envisages securing the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement on the Border poll.

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