United Ireland remains Taoiseach’s political aspiration - Harris in Clones

An Taoiseach has said that achieving a united Ireland remains his political aspiration, while emphasising that his focus and that of the current government is on promoting practical co-operation on the island of Ireland.

Speaking to media after the opening of phase two of the Ulster Canal Restoration, Simon Harris’s comments mirror those of his predecessor Leo Varadkar who had spoken on the subject of unity at an Ireland’s Future event in Belfast only the weekend previous.

It was the former Fine Gael leader’s opinion that the government should consider using its budget surplus to set up a fund that would prepare the country for dealing the economic challenges that may arise from removing the jurisdictional border.

“I think it’s good that we now live in a country and on an island where people are freely and regularly discussing the future. I think that is a good thing,” said the Taoiseach, who referred to the canal restoration project a key example north/south cooperation.

Praising the work of the Government’s Shared Island Unit, which invests in projects of mutual benefit both North and South, he continued: “It is the legitimate aspiration of any nationalist or any republican to want a united Ireland. That is my political aspiration, as well.”

But he said this moment in time required “practical ways of working together”, embedded in the institutions set up under the Good Friday Agreement, in order to “extend the hand of friendship, win over hearts and minds”.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin, who also attended the Clones event, believed that the canal restoration symbolises an “investment in reconciliation”.

“There’s a lot of hard work still to be done in terms of reconciling the different traditions on this island,” he said. “That’s what we, I think, need to focus on in the coming while.”