Fine Gael may ‘discuss’ Northern Ireland candidates, McEntee says

By Cillian Sherlock, Press Association

Fine Gael may discuss seeking political representation in Northern Ireland as part of its “blueprint” for unification, Helen McEntee has indicated.

The party is working on developing a vision for a united Ireland to be announced at its Ard Fheis later this year.

Fine Gael leader and Tánaiste Simon Harris said the country must now engage “seriously, responsibly and respectfully” with the future of the island ahead of the 30th anniversary of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which will come during his next tenure as taoiseach.

Asked if she thought Fine Gael should be running candidates for election in Northern Ireland, party deputy leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee said: “I think that’s why we’re having these types of discussions now.

“The Tánaiste outlined just over a week ago that we would, within our own party, be having a discussion on what a unified or united Ireland might look like.

“I think it’s the responsible thing to do. I think we should be having these conversations, not just on a Government or an all-Ireland basis, but within our own parties.

“And we have asked, and we will be asking our members, what they see as being the issues that we need to discuss – whether that’s political representation, whether it’s the impact on our economy, whether it’s the impact socially.

“And to go beyond maybe what are some of the traditional areas that we tend to talk about, be it the flag, the national anthem and things like that.”

Pressed on whether it was appropriate for Fine Gael to use its subtitle of The United Ireland Party if it did not run candidates in Northern Ireland, McEntee said she wanted to have a united Ireland in her lifetime and added: “So we need to be having these conversations.

“That’s why we are having these conversations and any decisions to run candidates will have to be decided by the party more broadly.”