Sinn Féin Leader in the Seanad, Senator Conor Murphy, has said that Budget 2026 is a missed opportunity to advance constitutional change. He called on the government to establish a Citizens’ Assembly on Irish Unity.
Senator Murphy said, “Economists have predicted a financial dividend from reunification, but the truth is that senior government figures have set their face against it.
“They claim the time isn’t right to begin planning for unity, yet little is done to remove the obstacles to fulfilling the economic potential of our country.
“It is telling that former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has also alluded to this dead hand approach when he says that the Irish government has put up an ‘artificial barrier’ to united Ireland poll.
“Real ambition for the future of this island would see government led active planning, through the establishment of Citizens’ Assemblies on Irish Unity supported by appropriate budgets.
“Imagine the enhanced resilience and productivity of our economy with a single business sector, agri sector, arts sector, tourism sector.
“There are huge growth areas in retrofitting for the green economy, for the development of renewable energy that simply make no sense to address in a partitioned way.
“I also note comments made this morning by Former Secretary of State for the north, Shaun Woodward, who said “We are approaching the point when the people of Northern Ireland should be entitled to express their view, in the next few years”.
“The volume of public discourse on this topic is accelerating daily, and I am calling on the Irish and British governments to advance these discussions and set a date for the unity referendums.”
