Aontú welcomes Sinn Féin and SDLP adoption of its New Ireland Forum Initiative - Tóibín
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín has welcomed statements by Sinn Féin and the SDLP that they support Aontú's call for a New Ireland Forum on Irish Unity.
According to An Teachta Tóibín:
"The border is like a wall with a thousand bricks. Each brick stands for a practical issue such as a cross border ambulance service, a cross border excise duty, an all-Ireland development authority, cross border third-level university access, local authorities on the border sharing resources and delivering services together, partnership in spatial balance and infrastructure delivery, an all-Ireland mining and fracking authority, single enterprise development agency etc.
"Each time we remove one of these bricks we improve a service for people, make the delivery of the service more efficient and make the step towards unity easier and less difficult for those who may have once opposed unity. This process would greatly strengthen the all-Ireland economy at a time when Brexit is threatening it.
"Unfortunately precious little has been achieved by either Sinn Féin, the SDLP or the Fine Gael government to date. Practical republicanism will achieve more the people of the six counties than protesting on the side-lines ever will.
"We in Aontú have been calling for a New Ireland Forum to be created where all of the political opinion in Ireland north and south can be invited to discuss how to build the future. The election of Boris Johnson is proof, if it were needed, that allowing the egos and machinations of the Tories determine whether we can move people, products and services around our own country is a major weakness. Irish people north and south should determine what happens in Ireland.
"We are delighted to see that Sinn Féin and the SDLP have taken up our proposal. We need now for the Fine Gael government to fulfil their responsibilities."
