THE question of whether an all-island economic model could help the pace of the recovery from coronavirus will be discussed in a live online broadcast on Thursday evening.
Featuring high profile Irish economist David McWilliams, the event has been organized by civic pressure group Ireland’s Future.
Chaired by Belfast businessman Gerry Carlile, who co-founded the group, the discussion will feature contributions from Unison’s regional secretary Patricia McKeown and author and commentator Paul Gosling.
Ireland’s Future was behind a letter to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in November 2019, calling for a “new conversation” about the constitutional future of the island of Ireland. The letter was signed by just over 1,000 people from across Irish civic society.
The group held its first live panel broadcast earlier this month to discuss Covid-19’s impact on the health systems on both sides of the border.
Ireland’s Future spokesperson Niall Murphy, who recently spent two weeks in an induced coma with coronavirus, said the impact of the pandemic had been devastating across the globe.
“As we emerge from lockdown and prepare for the reality that Covid-19 and social distancing will be with us for some time, the thoughts of many in Ireland are now turning to how our economy will adapt,” said the Belfast lawyer.
“What does this mean for tourism, hospitality, business, employment, public services, government funding and taxation?
“We want to explore what the benefits of an all-island economic response would look like and how we can better protect the future of all on this island, particularly in the event of further health emergencies.
“Does our best chance of economic recovery for all our citizens lie in an all-Ireland economic model?”
The online discussion takes place on Thursday May 28 at 7pm, hosted on the Ireland’s Future Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram pages.
