32-County Constituent Assembly Can Ease Transition To Irish Unity

Sean Bresnahan on the role a a 32-County Constituent Assembly can play in the process of delivering Iris unity.

In the event of a future ‘Yes’ vote border poll, the potential for disorder (warned of in recent weeks by Michelle O’Neill) can be easily mitigated, with the space required for an orderly transition to a United Ireland afforded.

Immediate to that circumstance, of a future ‘Yes’ vote border poll, the British Government should withdraw its claim to sovereignty in Ireland and make public its intent to leave the Six Counties. (That it should do so regardless is not of consequence to this particular argument.)

This would afford space for a constituent assembly, elected on a pro rata basis, freely elected by universal suffrage within the national constituency, to begin the process of agreement towards the structure of a 32-county republic.

Upon the completion of its remit, which would be to draft governmental structures and arrangements for a 32-county republic, to be embodied in a written constitution and charter of fundamental rights, the determinations arrived at can be put to the people of Ireland by referendum.

In the event there forward of a ‘Yes’, the process of transferring political power (from the old regime to the new) should begin with immediate effect, with same to be completed, wholly and in full, within a two year period at the outside.

The function of overseeing the required transition, across that period, would be the mandate of a national government, to be configured out of the membership of the assembly with the purpose of fulfilling this task.

It would do so in liaison with other relevant agencies, across said period — namely the withdrawing British Government and the European Union, notwithstanding outside assistance beyond here.

A proposal as this can fully diffuse the oft-hyped potential for disorderly constitutional change. The idea it need be somehow more complicated suggests towards ulterior motive — to the hope of frustrating Irish self-determination even further to the surmount of the principle of consent.

In 1998, Republicans were told we were not endorsing the Unionist Veto — that we’d only be subject to its thrall until a nationalist majority could be mounted in the North and that the Republic, then, would follow. We have not come this far for to now be waylaid, come the end of the road. At the very least, it must remain as such.

Sean Bresnahan is an independent Republican from Co. Tyrone who

blogs @ Claidheamh Soluis. Follow Sean Bresnahan on Twitter @bres79