We’re all familiar with the charge that some people are good at talking the talk but not walking the walk.If Sinn Féin gets its way, a week of talking the talk will be a significant achievement.
The party has called for “a week-long dedicated Dáil sitting in the North” at the beginning of September, including a debate on the preparation for Irish unification, progress on the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and on the Shared Island Initiative.
Now that’s what I call a good strategy. MPs and MLAs from the North will be invited to speak. Those that respond will get a sense of what it might be like to sit with and work with southern colleageus.It’ll be a start to building the outline of a reunited Ireland and firmly anchoring the idea of a borderless Ireland within the South’s legislative body.
It’ll be a perfect opportunity for people in the North to consider first-hand the opportunities and challenges facing us as we move towards (we hope) 2030 and a border poll.
Even if nothing concrete emerges from such a week – and I’m confident there will be – the very act of holding such a week will anchor in the minds of people North and South that reunification is a major undertaking and will surely be the most important political step for this island ever.
Get set to do some talking, guys.
I agree with all the points you made Jude. I too became excited when I read the same report on SF’s intentions early this morning in the Irish News. I didn’t however, find any such enthusiasm among the free-state national papers to tell its readers about the move. I believe that told its own story (no pun intended).
My only concern with the SF proposition is that the Government parties, in response might use its influence within the committee established to deal with such recommendations, to scupper or dilute the substance of the proposal. Partitionist mindsets must prevail, therefore Nordy representatives must never be allowed to familiarise themselves with the workings of the free-state engine room.
Good idea. We need to push things along.
By the way, there is a typo in the third para: colleageus.It’ll
Jude is sensership alive and well on your web site I have been told it is.
sensersh