Not surprisingly, since Michelle O’Neill took the position of first minister of Northern Ireland there has been an upsurge of media interest in the topic of a united Ireland. Sinn Fein has certainly made no secret in its support for Irish reunification. Unfortunately, unionists (those who want Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom), the British government and some in the Irish Republic have attempted to portray Sinn Fein’s advancing its nationalist agenda as something that was either misguided or damaging to the political process.
To those who are distressed by Sinn Fein’s unapologetic advocacy of a united Ireland, I would ask if they are as troubled by unionists and the British government rhetoric about the importance of strengthening the union? The agreement between the British government and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) had numerous references to the importance of the union. Somehow this was not seen as wrong or unhelpful. The hypocrisy here is what troubles me.
As a reminder, the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement guarantees the right of nationalists to peacefully pursue a united Ireland and the unionists the same right to try and protect Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom. The aspirations of both communities are legitimate. This mutual legitimacy I would argue is the glue that holds the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement together. Those who view Sinn Fein’s remarks in support of a united Ireland as somehow inappropriate are in a sense questioning the spirt of the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement.
Critics of Sinn Fein’s nationalist agenda often point out that the party should be focused instead on bread-and-butter issues like health care and the cost-of-living crisis. Well, I would say in a democratic system the arbiter of this question is the people. In the end, voters will render a judgement here. So, if Sinn Fein’s agenda is not what the people of Northern Ireland want, the results will be felt at the ballot box.
Overall, critics of Sinn Fein’s nationalist agenda, both pundits and politicians, need to remember that the right to peacefully pursue a united Ireland is protected by the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement and that the ultimate judge of the question of Irish unity is, according to the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement, the people of Ireland both north and south.
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