Pearse Doherty: Prepare Now for a United Ireland
Pearse Doherty (Sinn Féin) told the Dáil that the prospect of Irish unity is no longer a distant aspiration but a real democratic possibility and he urged immediate planning. He set out Sinn Féin's Bill to begin preparatory work across healthcare, education, public services and the economy, arguing that planning is the duty of every government.
Pearse Doherty framed the moment as a choice for this Irish generation and called on elected representatives to prepare for a potential unity referendum. He emphasised that planning will give people confidence, knowledge and hope when the time comes to vote.
Doherty argued that failure to prepare is a failure of leadership and outlined practical areas where advance work is needed: healthcare, education, public services and economic planning. Sinn Féin's Bill is presented as a mechanism to start that work now so communities can understand the implications of a united Ireland.
He acknowledged the sacrifices of past generations while stressing that today's responsibility is different: to prepare with wisdom, confidence and respect. Doherty painted a vision of an Ireland where every identity is respected and every citizen is valued equally, and closed with a call for this House to begin the work of building that shared future.
What he said
Pearse Doherty framed the moment as a choice for this Irish generation and called on elected representatives to prepare for a potential unity referendum. He emphasised that planning will give people confidence, knowledge and hope when the time comes to vote.
Why planning matters
Doherty argued that failure to prepare is a failure of leadership and outlined practical areas where advance work is needed: healthcare, education, public services and economic planning. Sinn Féin's Bill is presented as a mechanism to start that work now so communities can understand the implications of a united Ireland.
History and vision
He acknowledged the sacrifices of past generations while stressing that today's responsibility is different: to prepare with wisdom, confidence and respect. Doherty painted a vision of an Ireland where every identity is respected and every citizen is valued equally, and closed with a call for this House to begin the work of building that shared future.
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Transcript
There are moments in life of every nation when history presents a choice and ours is the Irish generation living through one of those moments. For the first time in a century the prospect of Irish unity is no longer a distant aspiration, it is a real democratic possibility. The question before us today is not whether that day will come, it is whether we will prepare for it because planning is the duty of every government. To plan, to explore the opportunities that unity brings in areas such as healthcare, in education, in public services, the economy and much more. And a failure to plan is a failure of leadership. Sinn Féin's Bill calls on us to prepare, to begin that work now, to ensure that when the moment comes, when people go to cast their vote in a unity referendum, they do so with confidence, with knowledge and with hope. For generations countless Irish men and Irish women dedicated their lives to the cause of Irish freedom and unity. Many endured prison, hardship and loss. Many made the ultimate sacrifice. The responsibility entrusted on this generation is different. We are not asked to win the opportunity to shape Ireland's future. That opportunity has already been secured through the Good Friday Agreement. Our duty is to prepare for it with wisdom, with confidence and with respect. And what an opportunity lies before us. An Ireland where every identity is respected, every citizen is valued equally and every community has its place. An Ireland that unlocks the full potential of our economy, our people and our shared future. This is about building a future of our country. A future better than the past. A future founded on unity, on reconciliation, on equality and respect. A future that embraces our union's fellow countrymen and women. Because a united Ireland belongs to everyone who shares this island. History, I encourage, has brought us to this point. The future now calls on us to lead. Others may choose to stand still, we choose to prepare. With confidence, with ambition, with hope. So let us begin together the work of building a truly equal, free and united Ireland. A real republic worthy of its name. Because it is up to us in this house to finish the job.