The
sovereignty and unity of the Irish Republic must be the basis on which a future
United Ireland proceeds. While an end to Britain’s claim to sovereignty remains
here first step, the All-Ireland Dáil should from there be restored, to sit in constituent assembly.
There,
new constitutional arrangements, premised upon Ireland’s right to national
freedom, can be negotiated and agreed among and between the Irish people, with
the Irish people — through national referendum — deciding ultimately as to
whether they should go forward.
The
sovereignty and unity of Ireland must likewise be the basis of any negotiating
process that sets toward constitutional change. While the form and structure of
a ‘New Republic’ are matters for the Irish people to thrash out, this much must
be non-negotiable.
Republicans
must build support for this line if the ‘agreed new Ireland’ of Varadkar and
his ilk, given succour of late by the utterings of Mary Lou McDonald, is
somehow to be stopped in its tracks — a concept already more advanced than may
be realised.
This
revisionist notion, first entertained by Hume’s SDLP, is an aberration from the
Republican object and sets out to retain a residual British presence in Ireland
‘post-Irish Unity’ — even after Britain’s own terms for leaving have been met.
Needless to say it must be opposed, root and branch.
But
rather than retreat into ‘rejectionism’, Republicans must build a grassroots
campaign — one that engages ordinary people and popularises, thus, the
Republic. It is through such initiative we can best mount a bulwark against
this emerging threat.
England’s
difficulty is Ireland’s opportunity is an adage of old that today finds new
relevance, as the possibility of a hard Brexit rears its head. As Brexit and
demographic change in the North speed the prospect of constitutional change, we
can ill afford to sit back. Republicanism now must lead, at this time of
critical import.
Sean,
ReplyDeleteWhat is your position on eire nua?