The reunification of Ireland - news, history, debate and analysis

[Irish History]

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A very important day tomorrow in Leinster House - a Motion has been tabled calling on the Irish Government to prepare for the upcoming reunification of Ireland. The motion will be debated on Tuesday evening.

This is a chance for the amadáns to not make a mockery out of the Constitution and act on article 3.

https://sinnfein.ie/news/sinn-fein-dail ... donald-td/

This is the Motion.

(So-called) Dáil Éireann recognises;

The reunification of Ireland is an objective of Bunreacht na hÉireann.

There is a growing national discussion around constitutional change with people from diverse backgrounds now exploring the possibility of Irish unity.

This Dáil further notes;

The Good Friday Agreement 1998 provides the democratic and peaceful means to achieve reunification through the provision of unity referendums.
The significant Joint Oireachtas Committee on the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement report ‘Perspectives on Constitutional Change: Finance and Economics’, which received cross party support and recommended the establishment of citizens’ assemblies and other relevant forums, a designated Joint Oireachtas Committee and government department to take responsibility for planning and preparing for constitutional change.

Therefore, this Dáil calls on the Irish Government to plan and prepare for Irish unity through the following actions:

Establish an all-island representative Citizens’ Assembly, or Assemblies, to allow for informed debate, and a Joint Oireachtas Committee on Irish Unity to enable careful planning.

Produce and publish a plan towards Irish unity in conjunction with civic society and key stakeholders.

Engage with northern protestant and unionist opinion about the future of Ireland.

Work to secure a date for the referendums on unity provided for in the Good Friday Agreement.

We can see that the ambition of a new and United Ireland is a major theme of this presidential election campaign. Both candidates have expressed their hopes for reunification, how they would reach out to the unionist community and outlining how they would work to progress Irish Unity during their term as president. This is a good thing as the unity conversation belongs to everyone regardless of political persuasion, background or tradition.

I also welcome recent comments made by the Executive Justice Minister and Alliance Party Leader, Naomi Long, in which she called on the British Government to make clear the criteria for the calling of a unity referendum.

There is an onus on everybody, but particularly on those in political leadership to plan for Ireland’s future and to seize with enthusiasm the immense opportunity that reunification offers all of our people.
What we need now is for the Irish Government to show the same level of engagement and to do the groundwork necessary to build a successful transition to reunification in our time. The government must plan and prepare for unity today. That means establishing an all-island Citizens Assembly on a United Ireland, producing a plan toward Irish Unity and working to secure a date for Unity referendums as provided for by the Good Friday Agreement

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[Irish History]

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The reunification of Ireland motion was discussed for a few minutes toward the end of 'The Week in Politics'.

https://www.rte.ie/player/series/the-we ... 48-25-0027
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[Irish History]

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Dublin City Council votes to urge government to prepare for the reunification of Ireland.

https://www.thejournal.ie/dublin-city-c ... 6-Sep2025/

Members of the country’s largest local authority overwhelmingly approved a Sinn Féin proposal calling on the government to establish an all-island Citizens’ Assembly and a Joint Oireachtas Committee on Irish unity.

The motion also urges the government to secure a date for a referendum on unity as provided for in the Good Friday Agreement.

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[Irish History]

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That Motion on the reunification of Ireland is supposed to be debated this evening at 8.24 according to https://www.oireachtas.ie/

It should be on TV - it being such an important constitutional issue, but RTE have not even mentioned it in the News - too busy reporting on one of the foreign British "royals" humiliation. RTE is so upset about Andrew, that its flag is at half-mast.

There is a live feed to watch the Motion on the reunification of Ireland online. https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/oireachtas ... eann-live/

The big question is - will the Southern Ireland State Gov. once again betray Ireland on behalf of England/Britain and its Unionists in Ireland, and vote against the Motion on the reunification of Ireland - or will the useless partitionist Fianna Fail and Fine Gael in Gov. grow a pair and do the right thing for actual Ireland.

Remember, members of FF and FG representing their parties in an all-party committee have already called for preparations for a united Ireland to begin "immediately", saying that every Government department should examine the implications of constitutional change.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2024/07 ... committee/
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[Irish History]

STARTED EARLY - ON NOW !!!

[Irish History]

Of course, Micheál Martin and Simon Harris are missing - quelle surprise.

Seriously - what kind of apostate Irishmen are these???

God help poor Ireland.

[Irish History]

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The Labour Leader Ivana Bacik just said the Irish Gov. are not going to oppose the Motion on the reunification of Ireland.

That's good - but will the Gov. act on the Motion, or will Fianna Fail and Fine Gael continue to block the tenets of Motion by not actually acting on the Motion?
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[Irish History]

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The Leader of Aintú Peadar Tóibín makes great points - hit the nail on the head re Fianna fail and Fine Gael.
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[Irish History]

Harris just turned up - when the debate finished.

That says it all.

[Irish History]

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The motion passed without having to go to a vote - a great day for Ireland as a whole.

Here are the minutes of the debate - makes interesting reading.

https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/de ... 2/#spk_279

A Citizens Assembly or Assemblies will be formed, and a Joint Oireachtas Committee on the reunification of Ireland to enable careful planning.

A plan for the reunification of Ireland will be produced and published in conjunction with civic society and key stakeholders.

And the Irish Gov. will work to secure a date for the referendums on the reunification of Ireland provided for in the Good Friday Agreement.

Not a word about it today on RTE - but don't worry, RTE are still covering the foreign British prince Andrew story as if we were British and not Irish.

To promote his 1977 album, Heroes, the late, great David Bowie coined the phrase, "Tomorrow belongs to those who can hear it coming". This message should resonate powerfully as together we look to the future of our country and to our national journey from peace to unity. A united Ireland is an idea whose moment has come.

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[Irish History]

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Irish unity quietly becoming more significant for Dáil parties

https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/202 ... l-parties/.
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[Irish History]

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Ahern putting the boot in again.

It was the same with Brexit whenever he made a public comment - on the one hand he would give the impression he was taking the Irish side, but then a second later out of the other side of his mouth, would always said something that undermined the Irish side on behalf of the Unionist/British side.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg43kq0l44ko

United Ireland would be 'economic challenge', says Bertie Ahern

So here he is again, seemingly talking in favour of the reunification of Ireland, but then introduces the barrier of the cost to supress enthusiasm for reunification.

Former TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar said the reunification of Ireland would only cost just “two years of economic growth” .

https://www.thejournal.ie/leo-varadkar- ... 6-Jun2025/

Others say the cost for Ireland as a whole would be just 3 Billion in the first year, and financial burdens would disappear within a decade.

https://www.thejournal.ie/united-irelan ... 7-Jul2025/

Other people say taxes would go up in order to pay for reunification, which is not true - the State has had a surplus of billions for years, and again, see above - the actual cost would be peanuts.

Typical Ahern though. I always entertained the thought that the British had the goods on Ahern and turned him. I'm referring to articles 2 and 3 - the removal of our rightful claim to all of our country. No quid pro quo from the British at all.

When asked about it 25 year after GFA on tv show, Ahern claimed he surrendered our rightful claim to the whole of our country in order to get a Council of Ireland - even though a Council of Ireland was already in existence in the British 'Government of of Ireland Act 1920'. Liz O'Donnell PD said the same thing.

Yep - something fishy about Ahern.
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[Irish History]

If anyone in the south had the political will for reunification they could make it happen in a heart beat.

Problem is we’re being run by woke parties who no longer care one jot about nationalism, in fact they hate it.
It’s won’t be just the flag they want rid of but any talk of unification breeds nationalistic sentiment.

https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/a-unit ... 6-Sep2025/

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This might seem outrageous - but don't be surprised if certain people start calling for the name of Ireland to be changed also. You can kiss goodbye to the names Taoiseach and Tánaiste and Dáil Éireann as well - so it won't be just the flag and Anthem that will be changed if certain people get their undemocratic way.

It needs to be pointed out that we do not need the Unionists consent to reunify our country and to end foreign British rule in Ireland anymore. We do not have to remain west-brits in order to placate Unionists - we Irish are the majority in the north again and majority rule in Ireland as a whole is called democracy. Unionists are welcome to stay in Ireland and assimilate into Irish society. If they do not want to do that, they can return to their homeland in Britain (like Arlene) were they can be British to their hearts content.

EDIT - that's not to say they can't have their own culture in Ireland. Most right-minded people would have no problem with that - in fact it would be nice to have a public holiday on the 12th of July if that is what they wanted to feel welcome.

Unionists are going to wither on the vine in Ireland anyway - that's what is happening right now in the north.
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[roc_enthusiast]

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This might seem outrageous - but don't be surprised if certain people start calling for the name of Ireland to be changed also. You can kiss goodbye to the names Taoiseach and Tánaiste and Dáil Éireann as well - so it won't be just the flag and Anthem that will be changed if certain people get their undemocratic way.

It needs to be pointed out that we do not need the Unionists consent to reunify our country and to end foreign British rule in Ireland anymore. We do not have to remain west-brits in order to placate Unionists - we Irish are the majority in the north again and majority rule in Ireland as a whole is called democracy. Unionists are welcome to stay in Ireland and assimilate into Irish society. If they do not want to do that, they can return to their homeland in Britain (like Arlene) were they can be British to their hearts content.

EDIT - that's not to say they can't have their own culture in Ireland. Most right-minded people would have no problem with that - in fact it would be nice to have a public holiday on the 12th of July if that is what they wanted to feel welcome.

Unionists are going to wither on the vine in Ireland anyway - that's what is happening right now in the north.
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Democracy in its best sense is about protecting minority rights.

Those who only see in it a means to consolidate majority rights don't truly understand democracy.

The fear that has grown up now in thinking middle southern Ireland is that it would be ill advised to empower & let loose the halfwits & thugs of SF and other groups upon the unionist community made a diminutive minority through unification.

As your post well exemplifies, and in the sentiment heard from countless others like you, the fear is that there is a backwards element who have simply replaced the armalite with a conception of democracy as being about nothing but consolidating majority rights and getting justice.

I.e. This element is still intent on violence, just it is violence in the sense well put in the below quotation:

“... Love and violence, properly speaking, are polar opposites. Love lets the other be, but with affection and concern. Violence attempts to constrain the other’s freedom, to force him to act in the way we desire, but with ultimate lack of concern, with indifference to the other’s own existence or destiny...".

So unification is increasingly being seen as a bad idea. We need to start a new conversation about it.

Remember most of the GFA was about building bridges and softening differences between the two rival nationalisms. This is the critically important work that McGuinness and Paisley set about with great endeavour.

However since they have gone, regressive elements have come again to the fore - and it is increasingly obvious to a growing number of people that their path in no way realistically paves the way to peace.

Rather this is a degenerate element in our country that it should be a priority to oust.

[Irish History]

=roc_enthusiast post_id=66165 time=1761320164 user_id=26839]

Democracy in its best sense is about protecting minority rights.

Who wrote otherwise?

Those who only see in it a means to consolidate majority rights don't truly understand democracy.

Really - who told you that?
Majoritarianism in a representative democracy is the outworking actual democracy, unlike what we have in Ireland where Minoritarianism has an artificial veto against actual democracy. The majority of Irish people as a whole, in Ireland as a whole, are denied self-determination as a whole, therefore denied actual democracy in our own country by a minority. Minoritarianism is the antithesis of actual democracy. You seem to think then that a minority when Ireland is reunified should continue to have primacy over the majority decision making.

The fear that has grown up now in thinking middle southern Ireland is that it would be ill advised to empower & let loose the halfwits & thugs of SF and other groups upon the unionist community made a diminutive minority through unification.

What halfwits & thugs of SF would they be? Name a few if you can?
In case you don't know, Sinn Fein hold the First Minister position in the occupied 6 counties of Ireland. In fact, a recent poll had Michelle O'Neill as the most popular leader - not just in the north, but in the whole of Ireland. The Unionists and treasonous southern partitionists might whinge about that but what's new. Ye have to accept the decision that made her the First Minister - that's democracy.

As your post well exemplifies, and in the sentiment heard from countless others like you, the fear is that there is a backwards element who have simply replaced the armalite with a conception of democracy as being about nothing but consolidating majority rights and getting justice.

Really - what is backward about my comments? Would you be able to actually show a particular post of mine that is backward?
I suggest that you only think they are backward because you are unable to comprehend what you are reading.

I.e. This element is still intent on violence, just it is violence in the sense well put in the below quotation:

“... Love and violence, properly speaking, are polar opposites. Love lets the other be, but with affection and concern. Violence attempts to constrain the other’s freedom, to force him to act in the way we desire, but with ultimate lack of concern, with indifference to the other’s own existence or destiny...".

All I've posted about is democracy - or the lack of it.

But here is a little idiom for idiots I want to share with you.

"It is hard to free fools from the chains they revere"

So unification is increasingly being seen as a bad idea. We need to start a new conversation about it.

That's just nonsense. The vast majority of the Irish people want the reunification of our people, our country, and the end of foreign British rule in Ireland - have you ever seen a serious poll that suggested otherwise?

Remember most of the GFA was about building bridges and softening differences between the two rival nationalisms. This is the critically important work that McGuinness and Paisley set about with great endeavour.

More nonsense.

However since they have gone, regressive elements have come again to the fore - and it is increasingly obvious to a growing number of people that their path in no way realistically paves the way to peace.

You are a very confused person - what growing number of people would they be?
As far as Irish people and Ireland is concerned, the GFA is about reunifying Ireland and ending foreign British rule in Ireland. If we wanted peace, we'd have meekly just accepted foreign British rule.

Rather this is a degenerate element in our country that it should be a priority to oust.

Who and how? What do you imagine you mean?

And by the way, it's reunification - not "unification". Ireland was already unified before it was artificially partitioned - hence reunification/reunified.
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[Irish History]

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British Navy Admiral tells British House of Lords that the reunification of Ireland would pose threat to Britain. Military should carry out exercises in Irish waters even if Dublin objects.

Deluded British Navy Admiral says "stop blaming the Brits" - "people of Ireland: you’ve been independent for more than 100 years".

Tell that to Irish people in counties Derry, Down, Armagh, Antrim, Fermanagh and Tyrone!

https://archive.is/oSCeN#selection-1553.7-1553.26

Naval expert has told Westminster politicians that a united Ireland would pose a strategic threat

The loss of the protection afforded by the North would deepen the threat to Britain from Russia and China

Seriously - who do these people think they are?!
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[Irish History]

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Unionist-turned-Nationalist former Northern Ireland Office press officer and author Ben Collins believes Nigel Farage could be the catalyst for the reunification of Ireland.

https://archive.is/oCRfp#selection-505.0-505.94

Ben Collins, an east Belfast-born former Northern Ireland Office press officer who once campaigned on behalf of the Ulster Unionist Party, was speaking to The Irish News ahead of the launch of his latest book ‘The Irish Unity Dividend’.

The former Tory, whose 2022 book ‘Irish Unity: Time To Prepare’ charted his journey from a unionist with a pro-British background to advocating for a 32-county republic, previously argued that the “madness of Brexit” had fuelled the desire for Irish unity, but now he believes the fresh catalyst for constitutional change could be Nigel Farage.

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[12gauge dave]

For someone who hasn't looked into the reunification of Ireland, How would this work practically?
Would the Republic have to take on the financial burdens of the North etc?

[Irish History]

For someone who hasn't looked into the reunification of Ireland, How would this work practically?
Would the Republic have to take on the financial burdens of the North etc?

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A Joint Oireachtas Committee did a report about the reunification of Ireland called 'Uniting Ireland & its people in Peace & Prosperity'. According to the paper, the reunification of Ireland would create new jobs, increase tax revenue, and improve Ireland's overall economic potential.

http://www.senatormarkdaly.ie/uniting-i ... eland.html

Former TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar said the reunification of Ireland would only cost just “two years of economic growth” .

https://www.thejournal.ie/leo-varadkar- ... -Jun2025//

Others say the cost for Ireland as a whole would be just 3 Billion in the first year, and financial burdens would disappear within a decade.

https://www.thejournal.ie/united-irelan ... 7-Jul2025/

Other people say taxes would go up in order to pay for reunification, which is not true because the State has had a surplus of Billions for years - so the initial cost would be peanuts and temporary.
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[knownunknown]

No doubt the sectarian attacks on Humphries during the presidential debates will have influenced some minds.

[12gauge dave]

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A Joint Oireachtas Committee did a report about the reunification of Ireland called 'Uniting Ireland & its people in Peace & Prosperity'. According to the paper, the reunification of Ireland would create new jobs, increase tax revenue, and improve Ireland's overall economic potential.

http://www.senatormarkdaly.ie/uniting-i ... eland.html

Former TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar said the reunification of Ireland would only cost just “two years of economic growth” .

https://www.thejournal.ie/leo-varadkar- ... -Jun2025//

Others say the cost for Ireland as a whole would be just 3 Billion in the first year, and financial burdens would disappear within a decade.

https://www.thejournal.ie/united-irelan ... 7-Jul2025/

Other people say taxes would go up in order to pay for reunification, which is not true because the State has had a surplus of Billions for years - so the initial cost would be peanuts and temporary.
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Thanks for informative post, brings me upto speed on the situation nicely.

[Irish History]

No doubt the sectarian attacks on Humphries during the presidential debates will have influenced some minds.

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You are right about that. I can see how Unionists would be hurt by derogatory references to their religion, but I don't think people or the media questioning her about her family connection to the Orange Order was in any way sectarian abuse.

I just wondering what the sectarian abuse was that Humphreys mentioned.

Anyway, certain Unionists are making hay with the story to talk down the reunification of Ireland.

https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/natio ... mp-5375370

The election of Catherine Connolly exposes the sectarianism of the Republic of Ireland, Jim Allister has said.

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[Irish History]

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The SDLP leader Claire Hanna MP has congratulated Catherine Connolly on her easy election as president of Ireland – and called on her to push the debate about the reunification of Ireland.

https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/natio ... te-5375129

The SDLP believes President Connolly can use her term to provide a platform for honest discussion about a New Ireland. This conversation is not going away, and the president has a unique convening role in helping to shape it.

The SDLP leader also called for Irish citizens in Northern Ireland to get votes in such presidential elections across the border: “We welcome President Connolly’s remarks about her relationship with the North and would urge her to do everything possible to ensure this is the final time Irish citizens here are unable to vote in a presidential election.

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[knownunknown]

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You are right about that. I can see how Unionists would be hurt by derogatory references to their religion, but I don't think people or the media questioning her about her family connection to the Orange Order was in any way sectarian abuse.

I just wondering what the sectarian abuse was that Humphreys mentioned.

Anyway, certain Unionists are making hay with the story to talk down the reunification of Ireland.

https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/natio ... mp-5375370


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How is her husbands’ connection to the orange order or any of her family relevant to the presidency of Ireland?

[Irish History]

How is her husbands’ connection to the orange order or any of her family relevant to the presidency of Ireland?

Where did I write it was?

I wrote that I don't think people or the media questioning her about her family connection to the Orange Order was in any way sectarian abuse.
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