Léargas

  Momentum around Unity Grows I want to begin by commending the SDLP for organising last week’s conference – The Future of these Islands: Preparing for Change. It was a well-attended day-long event, held in Belfast, on the issue of Irish Unity. Among those who contributed to the series of discussions was Dublin Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan, former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Sinn Féin’s Conor Murphy and others, including leading figures in the SDLP like the party leader Claire Hanna. Add this to Fine Gael’s announcement that it is planning to publish a blueprint on Irish Unity at its Ard Fheis in November and next Tuesday’s Dáil debate on Sinn Féin’s legislative proposal - “Planning for Constitutional Change Bill 2026” – and it is clear that there is increasing unanimity in the Unity movement that planning for unity is now a priority. These are significant developments. Sinn Féin has long argued that the cause of Unity is bigger than any one party. It requires the greatest numb...

  The Unity Bill passes its First stage The “Planning for Constitutional Change Bill 2026”, which I referenced in last week’s column, has passed its first hurdle in the Dáil. It will now go to second stage on 7 July and then on to the Committee stage before returning to the Dáil later in the year. The Bill sets clear goals and timetables for measures that have to be taken to properly plan and prepare for constitutional change on the island of Ireland. It does so in accordance with the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement. It requires the Taoiseach to prepare and publish a Green Paper within 12 months. This has to address issues as diverse as public finance, taxation, public services, human rights, governance arrangements and relations between Britain and Ireland. The Bill also obliges the Government to establish a Citizens’ Assembly on Irish unity within six months of the publication of the Green Paper. Convened and funded by the Department of An Taoiseach, this will bring toget...

  Stand-Up to Racism The bullet holes from the August 1969 sectarian pogrom against the people of the Falls area are still visible on the front wall of St. Comgall’s Primary School, Divis Street. Last Thursday lunchtime, a few yards from where, on that occasion, whole terraces of houses were burned out, scores of community activists from across Belfast came together in Ionad Eileen Howell to discuss another pogrom. This time the pogrom was rooted in violent racism. In the days before families and workers from the various ethnic groups, who now make up an important and valued part of our society, were attacked, threatened, and some were forcibly evicted from their homes. In harrowing scenes cars and some homes were destroyed as masked thugs roamed the streets of parts of Belfast, Portadown and Glengormley attacking the PSNI and the homes of our neighbours. Terrified children fled with their parents. Health workers were especially targeted. There was a clear attempt to intimidate man...