A New Year begins today, but an old and very familiar problem continues to plague our politics.
In an interview last week, the Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald, indicated her party would seek to further advance the entirely legitimate aspiration of Irish unity in the event of securing a place in the next Irish government. When asked if this could involve the establishment of a new minister with responsibility for Irish unity, McDonald signalled that may well be something she would consider as part of a commitment to intensify preparations for unity.
Nothing Mary Lou McDonald said should have been particularly noteworthy. After all, Sinn Féin exists as a political party for the pre-eminent purpose of achieving Irish unity. As the only party to invest the time, energy and personnel to develop a country-wide party with elected figures at every level in the post-partition era, it should surprise no one that, in the event of finally holding office in Dublin, it would seek to make amends for the negligence of its predecessors and introduce a step change approach with regard to planning for constitutional change.
Given all that has come to pass over the past decade, including the transformative changes in southern Irish society, Brexit and the new electoral landscape emerging in the north, it would be utterly irresponsible and an abdication of responsibility for any political parties holding office in Dublin not to make planning for Irish reunification a significant priority commitment.
Readers need no reminder of the boundless arrogance of the DUP, but for a party currently holding society to ransom by refusing to return to government to then accuse others of not being focused on “schools, hospitals, childcare or housing” is quite the statement
A Minister for Irish Unity would be a welcome development as the post holder would be in a position to utilise the expertise and vast resources of the state bureaucracy to develop and advance costed policies for the various options for unity, as well as identifying where all-Ireland harmonisation today could deliver optimal outcomes for people across the island.
Other commitments I would expect Sinn Féin to both announce and deliver upon swiftly include a citizens’ assembly to discuss Irish unity and a referendum to extend Presidential voting rights to the north and members of the diaspora community - something the current government has cynically continued to put on the long finger.
Petulant response from the DUP
McDonald’s interview was met with a typically small minded and petulant response from the DUP, who sent out the relative newcomer, Deborah Erskine, to boldly proclaim that republicans were “creating division and instability through agitating for a border poll” whilst also criticising Sinn Féin for not being focused on “schools, hospitals, childcare or housing”.
Clearly there is no sign of DUP members drinking from that cup of kindness any time soon, new year or not, but to condemn political opponents as being divisive for merely acting consistent with the Good Friday Agreement and peacefully pursuing and planning for reunification is a statement indicative of a mindset continuing to reject the very legitimacy of the aspiration defining Irish nationalism.
Readers need no reminder of the boundless arrogance of the DUP, but for a party currently holding society to ransom by refusing to return to government to then accuse others of not being focused on “schools, hospitals, childcare or housing” is quite the statement.
The school and hospital-based public servants striking in their thousands later this month are very conscious they will be doing so precisely because the DUP continue to refuse to sign up for a deal already on the table that would effectively resolve their pay disputes.
The DUP’s reluctance is rooted not simply in a dark sullenness with how the Brexit they championed has ultimately panned out, but also a deep antipathy to serving alongside a Sinn Féin First Minister and a belligerent desire – as articulated in Deborah Erskine’s shrill statement - to close down the legitimate campaign for a border poll.
Alas, these are matters now well beyond their control. We no longer live in those times long past. Happy new year.
