Simon Coveney 'would like to see a united Ireland' in his 'political lifetime' - Polidicks

[URL="https://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/irish-news/simon-coveney-would-like-to-see-a-united-ireland-in-his-political-lifetime-36347866.html"]https://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/irish-news/simon-coveney-would-like-to-see-a-united-ireland-in-his-political-lifetime-36347866.html[/URL] [QUOTE]Ireland's Foreign Minister Simon Coveney has told a parliamentary committee that he wants to see a united Ireland in his political lifetime. Mr Coveney was addressing the Oireachtas committee on the Good Friday Agreement. He said: "I am a constitutional nationalist, I would like to see a united Ireland in my lifetime. If possible, in my political lifetime." He added that any moves toward Irish unification should be careful, learn from the past and ensure more steps are taken to protect and include a unionist minority. Meanwhile, during the committee session Mr Coveney also warned that a proposed amnesty for soldiers accused of crimes during the Troubles has the potential to undermine legacy processes. Earlier this week it was revealed an upcoming UK government consultation on how to deal with legacy issues from the conflict will include a proposal that soldiers who committed crimes while deployed in Northern Ireland may be subject to a statute of limitations, meaning they would cease to be prosecuted once a certain time limit has expired. Mr Coveney told the committee: "Our view is that it would be very unhelpful to have as part of the consultation process any new questions around the use of a statute of limitations or a creation of an amnesty. "What that creates is a tiering of categories, if you like, in terms of atrocities that happened and treating them differently depending on where a person comes from or who they were working for, whether they were working for the state or not." Mr Coveney added he would speak to Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire on Thursday evening to raise his concerns about it with him directly. A number of unresolved killings from the conflict have been the subject of reinvestigation in recent years, including alleged murders by paramilitary groups and soldiers. The DUP has previously raised concerns about whether soldiers are being subject to an unfair focus within these investigations. Mr Brokenshire announced in September that a public consultation would be launched on a number of proposals on how legacy issues should be dealt with. The policy document has yet to be published.[/QUOTE] Let's take some bets. Personally, I bet at the minimum we will see a border poll within five years.

Really though if people are going to bitch about countries being divided they should have no problem with a United Ireland. I'd guess the problem is with how will it unite, will Ireland become a part of the UK or will Northern Ireland reunite and leave the UK. With Brexit I'd think the choice would be easy.

[QUOTE=Megadave;52919083][B]will Ireland become a part of the UK [/B][/QUOTE] hahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahaha Sorry I had to laugh. There's only ever gonna be an United Ireland through Northern Ireland joining (the Republic of) Ireland. We're never rejoining the UK. Like. Ever.

A British Ireland is just asking for The Troubles v2 The only way this will ever resolve itself is if Northern Ireland join the Irish republic and unionist/ulsters go elsewhere

[QUOTE=fruxodaily;52919151]A British Ireland is just asking for The Troubles v2 The only way this will ever resolve itself is if Northern Ireland join the Irish republic and unionist/ulsters go elsewhere[/QUOTE] Problem with that is the Republicans will just see that as a occupation, and will feel as if they have won, and will want to take all of Norn Iron. If the Irish think they are going to get one bit of Ulster without a fight they are sorely mistaken. It will be the Troubles V2 either way. [editline]24th November 2017[/editline] Why should the Unionists leave their homes? By that logic we should expel all the Republicans to Ireland.

[QUOTE=fruxodaily;52919151]A British Ireland is just asking for The Troubles v2 The only way this will ever resolve itself is if Northern Ireland join the Irish republic and unionist/ulsters [b]go elsewhere[/b][/QUOTE] I would like to see NI and EIRE unite, with the former joining the latter, but casually advocating for Ethnic cleansing is not the way to do it. [quote=Ethnic Cleansing]the mass [b]expulsion[/b] or killing of members of one ethnic or religious group in an area by those of another.[/quote]

He may wish to see it but it's almost certainly not going to happen

[QUOTE=Mallow234;52919337]He may wish to see it but it's almost certainly not going to happen[/QUOTE] I would not be so sure. Not if Britain goes down this route of hard border in Ireland. I think that will dramatically change the situation. That and the probable fact the UK is going to go through an economic crisis of awful and epic proportions. I bet at the very least there will be a border poll in five years.

[QUOTE=Craigewan;52919318]I would like to see NI and EIRE unite, with the former joining the latter, but casually advocating for Ethnic cleansing is not the way to do it.[/QUOTE] "ethnic or religious"

[QUOTE=eirexe;52919372]"ethnic or religious"[/QUOTE] I feel like you're trying to claim that they're not an ethnic/religious group, but you are aware that there are a lot of Protestants amongst the Ulsters, right? They also generally tend to be culturally different from the surrounding areas of Ireland.

[QUOTE=Megadave;52919083]Really though if people are going to bitch about countries being divided they should have no problem with a United Ireland. I'd guess the problem is with how will it unite, will Ireland become a part of the UK or will Northern Ireland reunite and leave the UK. With Brexit I'd think the choice would be easy.[/QUOTE] Hahahaha. I have a very conservative friend who believes there is a genuine prospect of ROI joining the UK. I am English, but I think Ireland deserve independence from us for all the shit we've done.