I, too, welcome this debate. It is an important discussion to have in this House around what possible future constitutional arrangements we can have on this island. It is important that we set out the vision for all of the people on this island and the opportunities that may present. I sometimes think this debate can be couched in very simplistic language. A new Irish arrangement is not simply going to be a case of people marching up to Stormont and planting a tricolour in front of that building. Indeed, the unity we may see on this island will not be similar to what we saw in Germany in 1990. In many ways, for the new nation I believe we will be building, we will need to look at the South African experience, where we will be bringing together people with very diverse views and backgrounds but shaping a new nation and seeking ways in which a common identity can be built. Whatever happens in the context of the 8 million or so people living on this island, there will be 1 million who will still be very strong in their British identity, in some way, and there will be about 750,000 who are neither green nor orange and who have come from outside of these islands to make this their home. It is critically important that we ensure every individual and citizen who lives on these islands feels part of whatever new arrangement we intend to build. That means that everything needs to be on the table. It will mean, for those of us in the South, facing up to some very uncomfortable questions but it is important that we do that. I share Deputy Currie's concern about very strict timelines. There will be some people who will be able to move much more quickly than others. There will be others for whom it will take time to present but the lesson we have learned from any time there has been a referendum held on these islands, either here in the South or with Brexit or Scotland, is that if we do not know all the facts and if all issues are not explored in great detail, then there will naturally be a conservatism and a fear among our people. I do not want to wait to see when in the opinion of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a majority may exist. If there is agreement, we should be moving towards something where there is a general consensus that exists on this island. As somebody who campaigned on both sides of the Border for the Good Friday Agreement as a student, one of things that inspired me about that was listening to people from all communities who spoke about hope, and how they were able to feel that they were part of this new arrangement. Yes, there were challenges and the Good Friday Agreement asked many very awkward questions but key to, and underlining that, was hope. As part of this discussion, what we have got to ensure is that for all sectors of our communities, there is that hope and a sense of building that shared identity and, I believe, a common home in Europe. The role of the European Union should not be understated. I commend the work of the shared island unit, but I will outline a concern I have. Around the time of the Good Friday Agreement and soon after it, some 20 or 25 years ago, there were far more cross-Border exchanges going on than there are now among community, youth, sporting and cultural groups. There were far more east-west exchanges happening at the time as well. Those exchanges are not happening to the same extent. I also find it bizarre meeting young people in my constituency who have travelled all over Europe and the world, but have never been to the North. We need to explore to a far greater extent how we can exchange and get groups of people on this island and these islands working closer together. This is a welcome debate.

Sentiment score: 0.26