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Donaldson
faces Sinn Fein in united Ireland debate
(01/04/2003) |
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By Marie
Louise McCrory
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ONE of Northern
Ireland’s leading unionist sceptics left west Belfast unconvinced
yesterday after discussions on the prospect of a united Ireland.
The meeting, organised by Community Dialogue, offered Ulster
Unionist assembly member Jeffrey Donaldson and Sinn Fein chairman
Mitchel McLaughlin the opportunity to put forward their arguments.
Those who attended the conference at Farset International
complex on the Springfield Road were also offered the chance to put
questions to the pair.
Brian Lennon, of Community Dialogue,
a group made-up of community workers from across the sectarian
divide, said event was organised to give ordinary people the chance
to ask practical questions.
“We have brought together a
group of people from diverse backgrounds to ask questions about an
issue that is really important to them,’ he said.
“They have
been provided with an open floor to put questions about something
that really matters.”
Foyle assembly member Mitchel
McLaughlin was first to detail his argument in favour of
reunification, which he said he considered to be “absolutely the
best solution and best option for long term peace and stability”.
He said the realities of everyday life showed that Ireland
could not maintain two economies.
“There are 5.5 million
people on this island and we really can’t maintain or sustain
indefinitely two political systems, two economies, two transport
systems, two energy systems, two health systems or two education
systems.”
Mr McLaughlin said he believed that, through
dialogue, a united Ireland acceptable to all could be achieved.
“There is a very conscious recognition that there are those
who resist the notion of being described as Irish people.” he said.
“I think we can all agree on a common description, we are
the people of Ireland and we have different traditions and different
expectations and I believe that through our respective political
leaderships that we can negotiate a bill of rights and we can begin
to decide the Ireland of the future that we will all belong to.”
He also said the British government should become
“persuaders for unity on the island in the interests of both Britain
and Ireland and ultimately in the interest of the British tradition
in Ireland”.
Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson, however,
disagreed and cited what he believed were the economic arguments
against a united Ireland.
“There are 57 million people in
the UK and 3.5 million in the Irish Republic. Let’s face a few
realities today. Northern Ireland receives an economic subvention
from UK treasury of between £3.5 billion and £5 billion a year.
“That is spread over the 57 million British citizens. They
fund that subvention through the taxes that they pay. Now, if we
were in a united Ireland that subvention, which is spent on public
services, would have to be funded by the people in the Irish
republic.
“That is the equivalent of an extra £1,000 for
every man, woman and child. That’s an extra £5,000 a year per family
just so we in the north can enjoy the same level of economic and
public services that we do today, I don’t think they are going to
and yet economics is a reality that those in favour of a united
Ireland continually fail to address.”
Mr Donaldson said he
did not believe un-ionists would be welcome in a united Ireland.
“Protestants have found that their experience of living in
areas where there is a nationalist majority has been an
uncomfortable one. There are real concerns about whether a united
Ireland could be truly inclusive and accommodate the British culture
and identity,” he said.
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