1916 leaders' Republic was 32 counties – not just 26

THE LEADERS of 1916 told us in the Proclamation that the Republic consisted of “the whole nation and all its parts” – not just 26 counties of it, Sinn Féin Border counties MEP Matt Carthy told the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis in Dublin.

“The very idea that the leaders of 1916 would have been satisfied with a partitioned island is an idea as ludicrous as it is laughable,” said the Member of the European Parliament for the constituency that includes many of the Border counties of the South.

“This is not the Republic.” He said that what is needed now is leadership with vision and a strategy to deliver the united Irish Republic.

“And, if not is not us, then who?

“And, if we don’t move now, then when?”

He said that Sinn Féin's opponents have tried everything since partition to diminish the demand for Irish unity, usually by vilifying those who promote it.

“And yet, here we are. Sinn Féin is the largest political party on the island of Ireland In every poll undertaken on the national question, Irish people have expressed their preference for Irish unity.” The Sinn Féin MEP acknowledged that “there is work to be done” convincing people, North and South, of the practicalities and the feasibility of Irish reunification.

“But, that is our job,” he told Sinn Féin members. “Because, if we don’t do it – then who will And, If we don’t integrate the united Ireland project into all our work now, then when?”

The argument that we cannot afford a united Ireland is a flawed one, he said. “The truth is we can no longer afford a divided Ireland.” Recently, international economists demonstrated that Irish reunification could boost the whole island’s GDP by €35.6billion in the first eight years of unity, Matt Carthy said.

“Any neutral observer would easily come to the conclusion that there are no advantages for a small island nation on the edge of Europe having separate tax regimes and legal systems, competing economic development programmes, and divergent back-to-back health and education systems.”

He added:

“The arguments in favour of partition are very simple to break down once we deal with them systematically.

“What we must do is bring our arguments to every family dinner table, every pub, every community centre across this island. The way we do that is by putting the united Ireland project at the centre of everything we do.”

He said that Sinn Féin wants to lead the government at Leinster House.

“And, not for the sake of the Mercs, or the perks, or the pensions. We want government because we want to deliver a better, fairer, united Ireland.

“The only way there will be a poll on a united Ireland is if we deliver it. The only way we will win such a poll is if we build support for it from now.

“If not us, then who? If not now, then when?”