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Councillors have agreed to establish a New Ireland Working Group following tonights 16 March meeting of Newry, Mourne and Down Council's Strategy Policy and Resources Committee.
A motion was put forward at the meeting by Councillor Barra O'Muirí calling for the Council to establish a working group on Irish Unity, but fellow Slieve Gullion Councillor, Pete Byrne suggested an amendment, changing the Irish Unity working group to a New Ireland working group. Cllr Byrne's amendment was accepted and Cllr Jarlath Tinnelly also requested that they should consult with other Councils as well as ratepayers etc and this too was accepted.
Despite the topic and the differences of opinion present at the meeting, discussions were conducted very respectively.
Slieve Gullion Councillor David Taylor explained that he couldn't support the motion and that neither he nor his party colleagues would be taking part in such a Forum.
Cllr Taylor said "I certainly believe that if we do proceed with the establishment of an Irish Unity Working group that it would be a retrograde step for the Council and would send a very hostile message to the Unionist community in the district.
"I suspect that the claims that there's an appetite for constitutional change are completely unfounded. Time and time again, polls show the vast majority of citizens in Northern Ireland wish to remain part of the United Kingdom. The proposal to establish an Irish unity working group is extremely divisive in nature and will only serve to impact on Unionist communities confidence locally and the ability of the council to truly represent all of our citizens and I don't think that's that's a good thing."
Cllr Pete Byrne explained that the island is changing because of the direction the UK Government are travelling "This island is changing. It is changing because of the vote that was taken back in 2016." he said.
Brexit has turbocharged the conversation according to Crotlieve Cllr Jarlath Tinnelly who suggested we can't afford to take a 'tin ear' approach and that while he believed that a reunited Ireland was inevitable it was important to bring others along.
"it's an outcome that has to take one million people on the island who have great affection for and connection to the island next door. Their views have to be taken fully into account about how we go forward."
He added "this whole situation has been turbocharged by Brexit that is probably the biggest own goal that Unionism has ever supported and it's going to lead to the reunification of the country a lot quicker than people expected."
Mournes Cllr Glyn Hanna added "At this moment in time I don't believe there's even a chance that there would be a successful border poll that there would be a united Ireland, I can't forsee it in the near future. I know economic links are growing but at the same time my links and my feelings are pretty much attached to being part of the United Kingdom. Sometimes I think you forget that"
Slieve Croob Cllr Andrew McMurray said that although his Party didn't support the motion "being aware of the mathematics of this council. I'm very much looking forward to the invitation of the first meeting of the group as I assume it will pass"
He noted his disappointment that there was no mention of a shared island in the motion "It will unfortunately only serve to remove any sort of semblance that the issue is one for discussion and not simply a foregone conclusion."
The Motion
That this Council recognises that discussions about a constitutional change are now well underway and that Newry, Mourne and Down District Council have a duty to consult with its ratepayers on this important issue and the implications for the Council area and the wider border corridor. Therefore, this motion calls on the Council to establish a New Ireland Working Group and to begin a consultation with other Councils, ratepayers and community and business representatives to assess views on the issues related to constitutional change.
As is usual the decision is subject to ratification at the full Council meeting in April.
