'A United Ireland Is Inevitable: Discuss' – This Saturday in Omagh

2016 IS A TIME to celebrate Ireland and our identity, to commemorate our past and to deliver on the promise of the Proclamation.

100 years ago, men and women from the four corners of Ireland – nationalists, republicans, socialists, trade unionists, Gaelgeoirí, feminists – were meeting in rooms across Ireland and beyond to deliver Irish independence. They envisaged a Republic where people are citizens, not subjects; where people have fundamental rights, not arbitrary privileges; where there is equality, not elitism; where there is unity, not partition and division.

That Republic, a real Irish Republic remains unrealised. One of the big achievements of recent Irish history, however, is that there now exists a peaceful way to end partition.

The Good Friday Agreement, which was endorsed by the vast majority of people across Ireland, enshrines the sovereign right of all the people of Ireland, North and South, to determine the constitutional future of Ireland. The people of Ireland should not be prevented from voting on Irish unity. This is for the people to decide.

It is for this very reason, the decision and the voice of the people, that West Tyrone Sinn Féin MLA Barry McElduff is hosting a debate on Irish unity – A United Ireland Is Inevitable: Discuss – on Saturday 30 January (9:30am to 11:30am) at the Strule Arts Centre in Omagh. 

This event is focused upon generating discussion and debate regarding the transition towards a New Ireland which is a united Ireland and an agreed Ireland.

The debate features a wide variety of high-profile participants who will be putting forward their views on the constitutional future of Ireland.

We will hear from economist Michael Burke, author of the recently-published book, The Economic Case for Irish Unity, which will be available on the day.

We will also hear from Pat Fahy solicitor; Sinéad Ní Mhearnóg, Irish language and cultural activist, Thomas Buchanan, West Tyrone DUP MLA; John McCallister, South Down Independent Unionist MLA; and Linda Ervine, Irish language and cultural activist. There will be a wide range of views and opinions expressed on the day.

Barry McElduff says:

“As an Irish republican, I believe strongly that the people of Ireland would be better served by a single political, economic and administrative unit on this island. It makes no sense to split the Irish nation into two separate competing economies with back-to-back public services.

“Irish unity makes sense. Disunity and competition makes no sense at all.

“We would have a stronger, more prosperous economy in a united Ireland. Recent research by respected international researchers Hubner and Van Nieuwkoop (2015) showed that Irish unity would result in significant long-term improvement in Ireland’s economy by removing currency, trade and tax barriers that currently impede economic growth.

“Their study concluded that Irish unity would result in 35.6billion-euro boost in an all-island GDP during the first eight years of unification.

“It’s time to move beyond British control of the local economy towards a united Ireland for all.

“The British Government offers the people of the North nothing but austerity, poverty and inequality. Austerity is the price of the Union with Britain. It is a price our people cannot afford to pay. In contrast, Irish unity offers us prosperity and economic growth.

“Most importantly, Irish unity puts all the people of Ireland in charge of our own destiny. There is no doubt that we are stronger together than we are apart. My vision for a united Ireland is that of a just, fair and inclusive and equal Ireland – a united Ireland not just for republicans but for all of us who share this island. That is why events such as Saturday’s event are so important.

“The debate has created a space for everyone to have their say. All the people of Ireland, North and South, need to engage on the future of Ireland. From my perspective, there is no doubt that Irish reunification is achievable. But it must be built upon democratic change.

“Saturday’s debate is a crucial step towards a new bright future for all.”