Doherty backs McGuinness call for united Ireland referendum

Sinn Féin Donegal TD Pearse Doherty said today that he hopes a referendum on whether the North should join the Republic will be held within the term of the current Northern Assembly.

His comments come after the North's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness revealed in an interview with the Irish Examiner that he sees no reason why a vote on whether we want a united Ireland cannot take place between 2016 and 2021.

It follows the Scottish government's announcement that it wants to hold a vote on whether to leave the UK in 2014.

Mr Doherty said that he believes we would all benefit economically from a united Ireland.

"I don't think that it is the case that the 26 counties would be broke if we had the six counties, actually the opposite," he said.

"I see a lot of duplication, I see two economies that are struggling, but also see that there's huge potential, particularly when you've got two out of the top four largest cities on the island of Ireland are actually in the North."