Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach is reported as having said during his visit to Northern Ireland that the tectonic plates were shifting. My understanding is the tectonic plates shift very slowly, but, whether they are speeding up, the Taoiseach's meaning is that there are significant shifts in opinions on the constitutional status of Northern Ireland. That will be in very sharp focus in the event of a hard Brexit which, unfortunately, as we will discuss when we deal with other questions, increasingly is becoming more likely. Many weeks ago, at the James Connolly commemorative event at Arbour Hill, a Labour Party event, I called for the establishment of a new forum. The knee-jerk reaction in saying let us have a Border poll if the numbers stack up such that a figure of 50% plus 1 changes the dynamics is very dangerous in that we could find ourselves, like the Brexiteers, arguing for something and not knowing how to proceed. I have asked for the establishment of a forum involving all of the political parties that will participate in it and also civic society to discuss the shape of a new Ireland. We previously had the New Ireland Forum and there is now scope for a new forum, rather than the knee-jerk reaction of simply making a demand for a Border poll. These issues have to be thought out very carefully. They will have to be the subject of much discussion which will have to be framed very carefully. If we could have dialogue to allow all citizens on the island of Ireland to feel at home in a new settlement, it would be a good process to begin. Will the Taoiseach consider sitting down with party leaders to explore that possibility?

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