Pearse Doherty, a prominent Sinn Féin official, has publicised potential legal actions against the Northern Ireland State Secretary, who has the power to initiate an Irish unity referendum per the Belfast Agreement. The State Secretary may be compelled by legal intervention to conduct a vote if it appears that the majority of Northern Ireland’s citizenry would support the reunification of Ireland, given the chance.
The criteria that the judgement would be based on remain ambiguous, with no clarity if polling statistics, recent electoral outcomes, census reports, or other forms of data are to be considered. Speaking at the Patrick MacGill Summer School in Glenties, County Donegal, Mr Doherty indicated that the British Government has acquiesced to the concept that the Northern Secretary’s choice might be subject to legal review.
He announced that the Secretary of State could also face legal action if a referendum was triggered when there appeared to be no backing for a united Ireland. The opposite scenario could also see legal repercussions, he stated. He emphasised that this could create a circumstance where court litigation might coerce the State Secretary to initiate the process. Doherty expressed his conviction that an Irish unity referendum will occur within a few years.
Touching on the planning required for a united Ireland, Doherty asserted that it involves more than just an idyllic dream of four green fields. It demands the addressing of practical issues about the country’s economy, healthcare system, and social welfare framework. He regretfully noted, however, that both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have not started this crucial planning process, though he believes there are individuals in these parties, including Leo Varadkar, who endorse such initiatives.
Observing the swelling momentum, he endorsed the view that a unity vote in Ireland is unavoidably on the horizon, and spotlighted the overwhelming commendations Sinn Féin’s Alex Maskey received from all political factions in Stormont when he retired as the Assembly’s speaker.
He reminisced about Maskey’s journey, recounting how he was the inaugural Sinn Féin councillor to join Belfast City Council in 1983. Unionists, he revealed, resorted to tactics that included locking doors or changing meeting venues. They even were known to throw oranges at him during meetings.
His intention in bringing this up, he clarified, was not boasting, but an effort to make the evolved demographics and radical changes in Northern Ireland evident to all. He ventured further that a unity referendum was so certain that both the Unionists and every other political party in the state expected it.
While admitting that the Belfast Agreement’s assurances were not wholly fulfilled, he expressed hope about the potential to transform Ireland and establish a united, all-inclusive Ireland that recognises and values the identities of every individual and community.
He spoke of a growing momentum towards an Ireland where principles of equality, respect, and social justice take precedence. Preparations were needed, he emphasised, to transition into this new era.
When asked about British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s apparent indifference towards an Irish unity referendum, Mr Doherty dismissed assumptions that any British government would prioritise Ireland’s welfare.
He recalled the previous head of the DUP expressing fears half a decade ago that a hastily conducted unity referendum without adequate planning could result in catastrophe, repeating Brexit’s errors.