Irish unification ‘before 2030’ says Sinn Fein chief (as opposed to 2025?)
Posted by Jim on December 10, 2020
Amid the latest intra-unionist ructions around Brexit, Mary Lou McDonald has repeated her belief that a united Ireland is mere years away – although her rhetoric appeared less definitive than before.
Thursday, 10th December 2020, 11:23 amUpdated4 hours ago
Pacemaker Press 30/07/2019 – Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald addresses a meeting in the Factory Room at the Metropolitan Arts Centre, (MAC), Belfast
The Sinn Fein president made the comments in an interview with Owen Jones, a columnist for The Guardian of London.
They followed similar remarks which she made at her party conference just over a year ago.
At that time, Mrs McDonald had declared: “Let the message go loud and clear, to Government Buildings in Dublin and to No 10 Downing Street, that this new decade is the one in which we will finally end partition to achieve a new, united Ireland…
“The Irish government must convene an All-Ireland Forum; to map the transition to a United Ireland, to involve all the people, to plan for our economy and our public services.https://ce03a7c5bff6be033e0397713280583a.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html
“And then the referendum must happen in the next five years. Let the people have their say!”
Given her ard fheis speech was November 2019, five years would be the end of 2024.
In her remarks to Mr Jones (who describes himself as an “anti-fascist” whose pronouns are “he/him”), Mrs McDonald said this week: “We’ll do it in the next decade – we’ll do it in this decade, actually.
“This is the decade of opportunity.https://ce03a7c5bff6be033e0397713280583a.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html
“We’ve no ard fheis no party conference this year, sadly, but the last time we met was November 2019, and I set it out there in my speech to our party delegates, and I believe we can have our referendum, win it, and win it well in the course of this decade.
“It’s my job as leader of Sinn Fein… to navigate us to that certain and safe shore.”
The Sinn Fein press office was asked if the party still hopes for a referendum before 2025, as indicated in her 2019 ard fheis speech; a response is awaited.