Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
TÁNAISTE MICHEÁL MARTIN has said the potential for communities to reconcile as part of the Good Friday Agreement has not been fulfilled.
In an interview with the BBC, the Tánaiste declined to say whether he believed he would see a united Ireland in his lifetime, but said he had no doubt there would be “new political configurations” across the island.
Martin said there needed to be a political focus on reconciliation.
“We didn’t really fulfil the potential of the Good Friday Agreement on reconciliation, full reconciliation between traditions and communities,” he said.
“We’ve the hard, practical work of that to do yet.”
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has previously said he believes he would see a united Ireland in his lifetime.
Unionists figures including DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson and Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris have said they do not foresee a united Ireland over the coming years.
Asked if he believed he would see a united Ireland in his lifetime, Martin said: “How long do you think I’m going to live?”
“Will it be in my lifetime? I heard that in the 1970s, I heard the taoiseach being asked that.”
Martin said there would be “new political configurations” but that the focus should be on “unifying people”.
“I’m a Republican, I’m of the Wolfe Tone tradition, which basically means uniting.
Speaking about the ethos of the Irish revolutionary figure, Martin said it involved the coming together “in his day Protestant, Catholic and dissenter; in the modern era, by the way, you can add a few more to that”.
“Irish-British people have defined themselves as Northern Irish, you have 20% of the population in the Republic, not born on the island of Ireland, who are now residents, citizens and so on, like that.
“So the point I’m trying to make today is, it’s about reconciliation and unifying people.
“There will be new political configurations of that I have no doubt.
“I can’t be precise on how all of that evolves, but the fundamental point is, nothing matters unless we reconcile.”
He added: “We do need to learn how to live together, how to share the space that we all call home.”
Northern Ireland Office minister Steve Baker told the 65th plenary of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly that the Brexit referendum “probably should have been a supermajority” of at least 60%.
The Conservative MP, who was a strong advocate of Brexit, further stated that a “50% plus one” majority would not be advisable for a vote on Irish unification”.
Martin said Baker was “not right” to suggest that a supermajority should be necessary in a referendum for a united Ireland.
“The agreement is the agreement and it’s there, and I think ministers need to be careful in my view, in sort of talking in terms of super majorities,” he said.
“You can rewrite agreements on the hoof. These are very fundamental constitutional agreements that were endorsed by the people of the island.
“It’s a very important point. You can’t just casually dismiss that.
“You can say well you need 60% for this, or 70% for that referendum – referendums are referendums.
He added: “I think what’s important is that we focus on the evolving situation, the restoration of the executive and the assembly.”
Martin also said identity in Ireland was shifting on a number of fronts.
“Identity is evolving. It’s never a fixed thing,” he said.
“We need to start focusing on practical things, working together.
“There’s a huge investment programme, the largest in the history of the Irish Government in terms of investment in Northern Ireland.
“About a billion for Ulster Canal, which will benefit everybody, scientific research between universities on the island to sort the issues out in terms of cancer diagnosis, all of which benefits people.
He added: “It’s time for a positive, proactive, pragmatic approach to understanding how we share this space together. That’s what’s required.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
FF in danger of extinction with this self serving trougher at the helm.
@Davy: Details of Israels ethnic cleansing policy in Gaza have been leaked – Please share this widely, it is a flagrant war crime: Israel’s Ministry of Intelligence deportation directive outlines the four stages: 1. A call on #Palestinian civilians to vacate north #Gaza and allow for land operations; 2. Sequential land operations from north to south Gaza; 3. Leaving routes open across Rafah; 4. Establishing “tent cities” in northern Sinai and the construction of cities to resettle Palestinians in #Egypt.
https://twitter.com/EpshtainItay/status/1718578424644514241?t=zF3AwRqIUSbShi7lil-TGQ&s=19
@Mary Looners: Yes Mary I have indeed, the released an updated policy in 2017, accepting the 1967 borders as the basis for a Palestinian state, with Jerusalem as its capital and the return of refugees to their homes. Israel and western media have completely ignored this, to enable the current Israeli policy of genocide and ethnic cleansing:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/5/2/hamas-accepts-palestinian-state-with-1967-borders
Non stop war crimes against children, yet complete inaction from the international community: https://twitter.com/Bernadotte22/status/1718736635733455271?t=e4XKodbpIvLX_r1IRApUXw&s=19
In 20 months of the Ukraine war 540 kids were killed by both sides, 1 kid/ day – we had over a year to wall to wall coverage of it, flags & fundraisers. Now Israel on it’s own has killed over 3200 kids & 900 missing in 3 weeks. Almost 200 kids/ day and we get excuses. This is not a fight between Arabs and Jews – it is a supremacy settler movement, massacring civilians locked in a concentration camp. After all the garbage we were fed for the last 2 years about defending European values from the Russian barbarians?? European values really mean turning a blind eye to pure unrelenting evil? I’m sorry you don’t have a heart – these children don’t deserve to be massacred in silence https://twitter.com/kennardmatt/status/1718754780690931864?t=8bf7MC5qazLasYZZ0JeZ2g&s=19
We took in 83,000 Ukranian refugees in Ireland alone, West gave them $150bn in weapons to defend themselves, and sanctioned Russia to death. We’ve done NOTHING for Palestine, whioe standing etih Israel. No one complained about war fatigue when Russia was the bad guy – now you suddenly don’t want to hear about war when there are non-stop massacres of children 200 times worse than anything Russia has ever done. It is not war fatigue you’ve got – it’s a refusal to accept the reality that we (EU/US colonisers) are in fact genocidal white supremacists!
@kerrill thornhill: If this was a white kid – this video would be front page and on every news channel accross Europe & our moral outrage would be triggered! Because he’s not white, no one cares & all of a sudden we have war fatigue. Don’t make me vomit https://twitter.com/dancohen3000/status/1718761357296721937?t=XzS7zB8JAMJO2lRvpodj_Q&s=19
@Mary Looners:yer m@ is a d1seas@d pr0stitute
@Mary Looners: How many of the thousands of Palestinians that have been murdered are part of Hamas? What’s happening in Gaza is like Bloody Sunday on steroids and, just like the British Army’s excuse for that massacre, Israel’s reasoning for genocide in Gaza is equally flawed to say the least. Iraq was obliterated for defying 2 U.N resolutions, so far Israel has defied 66 resolutions and they’ve got away with every one of them. How Israel can’t see that what they’re doing to Palestinians is the exact same as what was done to them 80 years ago is beyond me.
@kerrill thornhill: Well said over 3000 children killed in GAZA and noone is saying anything!!!!
If Micheal Martin and Bertie Ahern were drowning and you only had one lifebuoy, which pub would you go to?
@SF Means Sh!t 4 Free: Would you not give the lifebuoy to Bertie and jump in to save Mehole? Tut tut, you’d let them both drown wouldn’t you….
@Mr Inbetween: did you ever think of jumping in yourself?
@Mr Inbetween: if it was Marylou you would hand her the anchor .
@Mr Inbetween: robert what
@Jack Moss: Union Hack Moss..I like that name for you. Never not at it, are you?
Look after the people who elected you.You spend so much time with your head stuck up people’s ar ses you have forgotten it is the people from the Republic you represent.A total use less cl own.
@Gerry Lamont: Our brothers and sisters in the north of ireland should never be forgotten,it happened before and the Brits tried to wipe them out,the day you forget your history it repeats itself.
How about condeming Israels bombing of hospitals and schools Tánaiste.
Where is your compassion?
@SF Means Sh!t 4 Free: Back in the real unreported world, details of the ethnic cleansing campaign by western backed settler colonisers have been released: Please share this widely, this is a genocide. Israel’s Ministry of Intelligence deportation directive outlines the four stages: 1. A call on #Palestinian civilians to vacate north #Gaza and allow for land operations; 2. Sequential land operations from north to south Gaza; 3. Leaving routes open across Rafah; 4. Establishing “tent cities” in northern Sinai and the construction of cities to resettle Palestinians in #Egypt.
https://twitter.com/EpshtainItay/status/1718578424644514241?t=zF3AwRqIUSbShi7lil-TGQ&s=19
@SF Means Sh!t 4 Free: When the Russians bomb civilian targets it’s called a war crime by the same politicians who when the terrorist state of Israel bomb civilians…The same politicians have to look at a video…Hypocrisy at it’s best from the likes of Martin and Varadkar.
@SF Means Sh!t 4 Free: Says a lot about you when you shill for Israel, muppzt
FF are now as pro Unionist as FG.
Man who retweets DUP scaremongering about SF wants us to believe he cares about reconsilloation.
He’s just another crap Irish politician.
@Mary Looners:
There is hard, practical work needed with flood relief in his own communities. But that would be too much like actual work and progress. These guys love solving the world’s problems bar there own domestic issues. I’m probably a racist now against rivers for highlighting this
@Jon Jon: get on to your local council….that’s their job.
@Jon Jon: Spot on. We are a Micky mouse country internationally with absolute knobs thinking we are something we are not. All this government is interested in is making as many foreign nationals affluent as possible at the detriment of the people who generate money. I’m not afraid if I’m labelled a racist for telling the truth.
@Jon Jon: His talking about Ireland,his a Irish politician and his the minister tor foreign affairs.
@Gary: His a Irish politician talking about Ireland,did I read a different article than you.
@John Terry: you obviously are an amateur in how things work, councils will jump at a tds direction or order, how do you think things get done for constituents.. Healey Raes got roads, Micheal got Ukrainians
@Gary: you know i worked on site with Georgians who are in direct provision, earning 800€ a week, getting free accommodation and meals. I asked why you here, they replies for money. They ain’t running from fear. But being honest they are needed Irish guys won’t do it, and they are nice guys, so it’s hard to judge, but maybe just make the visa scheme easier, rather than this madness
@Daniel Roche: he’s an absolute globalist
@Gary: You’re a racist and you’re not telling the truth. Most foreign nationals are earning minimum wage in factories doing jobs that Irish citizens are not willing to do. Go into any factory that involves heavy manual labour and you’ll find most of the employees are non nationals. Go into any housing estate in Ireland where there’s a high percentage of social welfare recipients and you’ll find nearly all of them are Irish.
Hard to take anyone with clear signs of dementia like MM when he denied we bailed out the banks seriously when it comes to any issues. Unless the grassroots get rid of longer, then FF is toast in the next election
The sooner this absolute flute is banished from public life the better for indigenous Irish.
@Gary: Ha, yes. The Turner’s Flute.
Where is this drive to “reconcile” the communities coming from.
Reconciliation, is bringing what once was a good relationship back to people who fell out.
These communities never had good relationships.
@Pato: cant see anyone anywhere having good relationships with the Dupers.
@Pato: when reconciling is impossible because one faction refuse to accept anything other than their old dominance, a stand must be taken to show them that old dominance is gone forever and only way is moving forward together or be left behind.
The Republican party apparently. He knows the DUP have no intention of reconciliation with Nationalist’s. The DUP have the same love for Republicans that Israel have for the Palestinians
Mehole “ in terms of” Martian
About as reconcilable as the Israelis and the Palestinians.
@Wullie Maerty. Too true, sure they can’t even get on with each other.
50% +1 is good enough for a majority democratic vote. If this was the vote for them to stay in the Union the Unionist would grab and say ye it’s a majority vote were staying in the Union.
FREE GAZA from the zionist nazi sc#m
@Mary Looners: They left but created a siege. Outrageous that anyone is ok with their apartheid and war crimes.
@Mary Looners: Yeah because Israel left when they made Gaza a utopian society. Gaza is a huge refugee camp created by Israel and it’s reliant on 500 trucks of aid a day which Israel has now cut off.
Irish politics, isn’t it great. What a load of tripe.
Couldn’t be arsed reading the article, did he say “comprehensive”?
@Eric Gaffney: I think he said he loved the Wolfe tones
Clown
Much as I dislike and disagree with him across a vast range of issues, he is not wrong about practical work needed to reconcile NI communities.
The problem is as anyone with an actual connection to the border counties and NI knows, there is spectrum of resistance to practical cross-communitiy reconciliation, starting from a distinct lack of interest because doing so would take effort and require moving out of the comfort zone of their own little closed worlds, right up to and including organised bigoted obstruction to any cross-community reconciliation or integration, using the tactics intimidation and violence on anyone that breaks ranks.
If Brexit hadn’t happened, then a united would have been much more likely within the next 20 years, because the border in practice had ceased to exist in the minds of everyone on the island of Ireland.
But I honestly can’t see a united Ireland being a feasible possibility for at least another two generations in the current circumstances if even then, because Brexit has dredged up, reinforced and galvanised loyalist rhetoric by giving it a platform to promote sectarian divisions and reignite the siege mentality which sustained it since the creation of NI.
@Dvsespaña: Brexit means the English can’t afford the statelet they fabricated. Young English people will want to dump the colony, too.
I am not a MM fan, FF always bottom of my ballot. But it seems that most commentators here have not bothered to read the article or the comments made. 1. He was being interviewed by the BBC in his capacity as Minister for FOREIGN AFFAIRS. 2. He is promoting the idea of community and social reconciliation rather than political ideals. 3. He speaks about a future where new political motivations exists (I believe he is talking about North and South). Less divisional and more cooperative (love them or loathe them FFG is an example of this)
have your say