Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for his answer and welcome it very much. Sinn Féin is a united Ireland party. Fine Gael once described itself in this way also. In the wake of the Brexit vote, we said that an opportunity existed for a referendum on Irish unity as contained in the Good Friday Agreement. I welcome the Taoiseach's comments about the potential or possibility for a referendum on Irish unity arising from the Brexit decision in Britain. I also want to welcome the Fianna Fáil leader's move to this position. The SDLP and the Irish Labour Party have expressed support for this. I appreciate that the Taoiseach says this is not the time for such a referendum, and that is fair enough. Achieving it will depend very much on political will. That means the parties and Independents in this State and the wider society must work alongside people in the North to ensure all of this is on the agenda of the negotiations around Brexit which could be over two to four years, so we have a bit of space. We need to be open, imaginative and inclusive in all these matters. I also welcome the Taoiseach's commitment, which he reiterated today and at a meeting with party leaders last week - which I thought was a positive engagement and a good meeting - to establish an all-Ireland dialogue or forum to bring in as many sectors as possible. I spent Monday afternoon at Stormont and there is big concern among many sectors - I know the Taoiseach picked this up himself - and fear in some cases about the impact that pulling the North against its will out of the European Union on the basis of a decision taken mostly in England will have.

Of course, there are challenges but I think the Taoiseach will be surprised at the number of sectors, who traditionally would not see themselves in this position, starting to think themselves into a different space.

I put it to the Taoiseach that we need to ensure this is not put on the back-burner. When would the Taoiseach see the first meeting of this forum taking place? When would he see the dialogue commencing? We must be persuaders on these issues; we cannot be passive.

If I may say so, the issue of Irish unity is bigger than any of us. It is bigger than any political party or anyone else. There are challenges and there are opportunities and we face into them very positively.

Perhaps the Taoiseach could also indicate, if it is feasible, when he will meet the new British Prime Minister, Theresa May, and when the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, will meet his counterparts in the North. The lead British Ministers all voted in favour of getting rid of key elements, such as the Human Rights Act 1998, voted against or expressed dislike for elements of the European Convention on Human Rights which is integral to the political infrastructure of the Good Friday Agreement, and the British Prime Minister has made a point of emphasising and reiterating her Unionist credentials. Therefore, we really need to be on our game, not only around the consequences of the vote to the leave the European Union but also in regard to the Good Friday Agreement consequences with what is arguably a more right-wing British Government in place in London.

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