Danny Healy-Rae: Reunification Needs Unity, Not a Rush
Danny Healy-Rae addresses Dail debate on a Sinn Féin motion about the possibility of a United Ireland, thanking members and urging careful, united discussion before any steps are taken. He warns against rushing the process, stresses the importance of the Good Friday Agreement and calls for more engagement with representatives from the North.
Danny Healy-Rae thanks Sinn Féin for bringing the motion and acknowledges the historic context of the Troubles and the progress under the Good Friday Agreement. He argues that reunification discussions must be handled with unity and respect for all voices, including unionists and northern elected representatives.
Healy-Rae recalls the violence of the 1960s to 1990s and says the Good Friday Agreement has helped move society away from that era. He stresses that any conversation about a United Ireland must recognise past suffering and preserve the conditions that allow people north and south to live normal lives.
He advocates inviting elected members from the Northern Assembly, local government and even representatives tied to the UK government to increase interaction, listen to concerns and build consensus. He emphasises meeting people halfway and developing a united front in the chamber before pursuing further steps.
Healy-Rae raises practical questions about housing, cost of living and the energy crisis, and asks what reunification would mean for the 26 counties and for relations with Britain. He calls for more discussion rather than premature decisions, urging politicians to work together and avoid public clashes in the chamber.
The speech is a call for measured, inclusive debate: to thank those who secured peace, to engage with northern representatives, and to build a united platform that respects all communities before considering constitutional change.
Summary
Danny Healy-Rae thanks Sinn Féin for bringing the motion and acknowledges the historic context of the Troubles and the progress under the Good Friday Agreement. He argues that reunification discussions must be handled with unity and respect for all voices, including unionists and northern elected representatives.
Historical context and warning
Healy-Rae recalls the violence of the 1960s to 1990s and says the Good Friday Agreement has helped move society away from that era. He stresses that any conversation about a United Ireland must recognise past suffering and preserve the conditions that allow people north and south to live normal lives.
Proposed approach and outreach
He advocates inviting elected members from the Northern Assembly, local government and even representatives tied to the UK government to increase interaction, listen to concerns and build consensus. He emphasises meeting people halfway and developing a united front in the chamber before pursuing further steps.
Political implications
Healy-Rae raises practical questions about housing, cost of living and the energy crisis, and asks what reunification would mean for the 26 counties and for relations with Britain. He calls for more discussion rather than premature decisions, urging politicians to work together and avoid public clashes in the chamber.
What he wants next
The speech is a call for measured, inclusive debate: to thank those who secured peace, to engage with northern representatives, and to build a united platform that respects all communities before considering constitutional change.
We publish thousands of recordings to make Irish politics transparent and resistant to manipulation. Spotted an error? Report it — together we are building a reliable archive of Irish politics.
Other speeches
Tego samego dnia All speeches from this day →
Conor D McGuinness
Conor D McGuinness: Protect Rural and Gaeltacht Post Offices
Pearse Doherty
Pearse Doherty: Prepare Now for a United Ireland
Micheál Martin
Micheál Martin: Trade, Child Protection and Housing Priorities
Paul Murphy
Paul Murphy: Make 'shall' law, call for Dr Abu Safiya's release
Michael McNamara
Michael McNamara: €293m Presidency spending must be cut
Micheál Martin
Micheál Martin: Opposes Rushed Unity Bill, Calls for Credible Plan
Transcript
Thank you very much Cathaoirleach and I want to thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward this motion here this evening and give us the chance to discuss the possibility of United Ireland and I suppose since I was a young fellow that's all I ever had was that that's what we need and that we can't stop until that's achieved and I suppose there is so much involved in this and as I grew up and see the troubles of the 60s and the 70s and and indeed the 80s and the 90s and how many every morning you had how many people were killed on the first news in the morning killed during the night and with the Miami showmen and then with all the different people and from the different sides killed and the mayhem and the murder and the slaughter every whole day and we're glad that that the Good Friday Agreement has moved us away from that and we want to thank all those I want to thank all those people involved that created the environment where people north and south can at least go to work every day who can feed their families and you know continue a normal life but I can see even here inside we must we must be united in this here in this chamber for a stat each and every one of us we can't be throwing scored missiles across the chamber at each other and we need to have a united front this is a serious business and we need to know where this will lead us and in all the problems that we have we know the problems that we have here in the 26 countries with housing and the cost of living energy crisis and and and and all the different things that what will happen we need to know what will be the end result of what what we will achieve where will England be we don't I don't hear them uh saying anything about it and and even the unionists we must respect their views as well and they were here in the south of Ireland and they have they have they're working with us now and they're very welcome here and and and uh we we appreciate them for the way they're carry on their work and and living normal lives we want that for the people of the north of Ireland as well but we must have the conversation as to what will be the story for all the different things and we must be united here going out of this chamber and the people of the south of the 26 counties which might enlarge be in favor of of of reunification and they need we need to hear their say uh themselves and there's so much uh that we could be doing as it is we should be inviting uh people from the northern assembly down here elected members whether it is the local government or to to the to to the UK government uh we should be have more interaction to feel and and to hear and sense their concerns so that we can uh move in half ways that's what we we must go half ways to meet everyone if we're to achieve agreement look I am I think this board is a bit premature here tonight I think we should work more together and have more discussion and rather not be falling out with each other at at at um no because it can be achieved if we if we all work together and uh provide a united front