Ireland’s Future: “Unity is coming – Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael need to proactively engage in the discussion and put plans in place.”

The new Irish Government was established last week and Sinn Féin MEP Kathleen Funchion has expressed disappointment that the negotiations between Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and independent TDs did not take the issue of Irish Unity seriously. She said that the conversation around Irish Unity is an active one, and that any future government must ensure it keeps up. 

MEP Funchion said, “The conversation around Irish Unity is taking place across the island of Ireland in both private and public forums. It is disappointing that the programme for government does not take this into account. 

“The new government should take two very practical steps to ensure it keeps up with the discussion on Irish reunification. In the first instance, the new government should appoint a Minister of State for Reunification. In addition to this, the new government should establish a Citizens’ Assembly on our constitutional future. 

“These are two very basic and practical steps that can help ensure the necessary planning and preparations are put in place to ensure that any future referendum on Irish Reunification is a fact based campaign, void of any misinformation. As a Sinn Féin MEP, I will continue to work with EU officials and other MEPs to ensure that the European Union is prepared to assist in the transition from partition to Unity.”