Micheál Martin out of step with growing call for Irish Unity - Pearse Doherty TD

Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty has said the Irish government’s failure to prepare for Irish unity is ignoring the momentum for change but will not make it disappear.

Addressing Sinn Féin’s Commission on the Future of Ireland in Cork tonight, Deputy Doherty said constitutional change offers a transformative opportunity to build “a real republic worthy of all our people - of every tradition and background”.

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Teachta Doherty said: “Constitutional change gives us the chance to build a real republic worthy of all our people - of every tradition and background - equal citizens in a free country, able to reach their full potential.”

He criticised Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s recent comments that there is “not much substance” behind growing calls for a referendum on unity: “The Taoiseach suggests that the growing call for a unity referendum lacks depth or seriousness. That assessment is deeply misguided. The demand for constitutional change is not theatre or tactics - it reflects a real and accelerating shift in public opinion across this island.

“Irish unity is not a mere slogan. It is a democratic provision within the Good Friday Agreement and a legitimate aspiration held by a growing number of citizens who want a more effective, fair and united Ireland.

“The Irish Government has a responsibility to prepare - to examine the economic, fiscal and public service implications of unity, to facilitate structured dialogue, and to provide citizens with clear, credible information about what a new Ireland would look like.

“Leadership requires foresight. Ignoring momentum for change will not make it disappear. The responsible course of action is to engage with it honestly and constructively.

“The Good Friday Agreement provides a democratic pathway. The role of the Irish Government is not to downplay that pathway but to ensure that, when the time comes, the people are equipped to make an informed decision.”

Highlighting the economic case for unity, Doherty said a united Ireland would significantly strengthen the economy through coordinated infrastructure, removal of duplication and balanced regional development.

“The economic dividend would be substantial," he added. "But growth alone is not justice. The benefits of unity must serve ordinary people - affordable homes, secure jobs, properly funded public services and thriving communities.”

He also stressed that unity must be inclusive and grounded in respect.

“Unionists and Protestants are central to this conversation," Deputy Doherty added. "Their British identity, culture and history must be respected. Unity is not about absorption or erasure - it is about shaping a new future together.”

Deputy Doherty said working-class communities in the North, including Protestant communities, had not prospered under the status quo and that unity grounded in social and economic justice offered “something better than remaining the poor relation of Brexit Britain”.

Concluding, he said that this is a defining decade for Ireland.

“Unity will not happen by accident. It will happen because we prepare, because we persuade, and because we organise," Deputy Doherty added. "The only question is whether leadership will match this moment with courage.”