United Ireland: Micheál Martin refuses to say if Government has abandoned idea

Taoiseach Micheál Martin after launching the Shared Island initiative at Dublin Castle. Picture: Julien Behal.

The Taoiseach refuses to be drawn on whether his Government has abandoned the idea of a united Ireland.

Launching the Shared Island Unit on Thursday, Micheál Martin said he felt a border poll would be "divisive" and instead this unit, "involves working together, North and South, to meet the major strategic challenges we face together, further developing our shared island economy, and investing together for the benefit of the North West and border regions.

"Fostering constructive and inclusive dialogue and supporting a programme of research."

When asked if he had abandoned the idea of a united Ireland, Mr Martin said: "It depends what you mean by a united Ireland.

"What I'm doing in the strong Fianna Fáil republican tradition as I see it, is building on the transformation of the Good Friday Agreement.

"I am very much wedded to that agreement about unifying hearts and minds and building consensus between people."

"Brits out"

The initial document, drafted by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael for Government, noted they would "work towards a consensus on a united Ireland." However, in the Programme for Government it was changed to: "to achieve a shared future".

Mr Martin said that this Government would look for "a genuine consensus on things".

"I've heard all the rhetoric. I've heard it all over the years, when I was going to school it was; 'Brits out' and all that," he said.

"That gets you nowhere," and he added that he had many prejudices about the North before he visited there as a student. "You learn yourself that your own ideas may not be as accurate or as perfect and you begin to see more of the nuance of the issue."

The Government announced the Shared Island Fund as part of Budget 2021, with €500m to be made available over the next five years to 2025, ring-fenced for Shared Island projects.

Including investment in the A5 transport corridor, the Ulster Canal and the Narrow Water Bridge and progressing investment in cross-border greenways, like the Ulster Canal and the Sligo-Enniskillen route, as well as researching the viability of high-speed cross border rail links.

The Shared Island Dialogue, a programme within the unit, will hold conferences on "aspects of our shared future".