Your choice and your constitutional future

It will surprise few that many in the North are contemplating the constitutional future. People quite rightly take the promises of the Good Friday Agreement seriously. In the fraught circumstances of Brexit, it is apparent that all aspects are being considered, including the right of self-determination. As everyone here is frequently reminded, the status of this region rests only on democratic consent: the famous ‘principle of consent’. This choice - the Union with Britain or a united Ireland - includes automatic EU re-entry, if people opt for change.

Think about that. A feasible route to EU return is there waiting to be used. You would never know from the public debate in the North. The blunt reality remains that an external border of the EU rests on the island of Ireland. Whatever mitigations are in place, and however welcome they are, there is no escape from this fact. The Protocol will never be a replacement for full EU membership. In these circumstances, it is essential that people are asked the constitutional question within a defined time frame.

This needs to be an informed choice, anchored in evidence about the consequences of the decision. Many are working hard to promote responsible dialogue, deliberation and debate. We all want this to be a well-managed process before, during and after. Why are we doing this? Because we are convinced that the referendums anticipated in the Agreement may be held sooner than many imagine. We have learned the hard way the lessons from the shameful Brexit disaster, and we are determined to ensure that whatever happens next on our shared island is the opposite of that appalling mess.

The case for change must be prepared properly, evidence-based, and advanced persuasively with processes designed effectively. My own view remains that the absence of an agreed and defined time frame is a significant impediment to practical progress.

The collective civic effort is now encapsulated in much of the ongoing work of Ireland’s Future, a civil society organisation that is not aligned to any political party. I am a member of the Management Board. Even our harshest critics must recognise - perhaps quietly - that we are steadily building a wide and deep coalition for change. Our events are broadly based and inclusive, with a diversity of views on the present and future. That pluralism of purpose will always shape our work.

We know there is no one monolithic perspective on the new and united Ireland that will emerge, and we encourage healthy and respectful conversations. We have produced policy papers to assist the public debate, in addition to our well-known and well-attended events across Ireland, at Westminster and in the US. Our Ulster Hall gathering on 23rd November 2022 was a very special occasion, with our excellent keynote speaker Michael Russell, President of the SNP, and a range of contributions demonstrating the strength of, and support for, our approach - as well as the complexity of the debate.

I particularly enjoyed listening to the first panel discussion, and also hearing the policy details and evidence outlined by my colleagues later in the evening. We could have filled the hall many times over, such is the enormous appetite for these discussions. It was an unforgettable experience.

We know that not everyone shares our view about the future. We are also conscious that some want to take the conversation to an angry place; we will not follow them there. We will be protective of those engaged in these legitimate discussions and we will not be derailed, deterred or distracted from the work that must be done.

We understand that significant change brings with it anxiety and worry about the potential implications. That is why, in addition to inclusive civic dialogue, we underline robust guarantees and protections, including in relation to human rights, equality, culture and identity. It is vital that those most troubled by the ramifications of change feel safe and secure in the new arrangements that emerge. Ideally, broad and deep engagement will ensure a sense of genuine ownership.

From all the evidence we have heard and seen we are convinced that everyone will be better off in new arrangements on this island. The tragedy of separation is that the human potential of our shared island remains to be fully realised. Along with many others, we will spell out in detail precisely how this will be the case, and we will contribute to wider conversations about the future.

However, we are not naïve. We know what the concerns are, and we will never be content with gestures only. We will stress the need for safe and secure spaces for this conversation to advance and for a strong legal framework to be designed and put in place. British citizens, people from a unionist background, and all those who are uneasy about the journey we are on, must be invited and included, and provided with the required assurances. Getting the design process right matters.

It would be feasible to gather together a room full of relevant experts to craft the parameters of a new and united Ireland behind firmly closed doors. In secret and privately. But that would not be right and principled way forward for those who believe that the process belongs to the people of Ireland. There is a central role for independent policy expertise, but this must be in the service of democratic deliberation and participative processes.

As I hope I made clear at the Ulster Hall gathering, at heart, what is happening is a fundamental denial of choice. We are, as noted there, simply living the words of our peace agreement. Every day we are told about the ‘principle of consent’. The idea that the choice about the future rests with the people. Yet no one wants to ask us, and many simply run away from the foundational commitments that were made here.

Even worse, it is occasionally suggested we should not even mention the legal mechanism that will deliver the opportunity to choose in the North: a referendum. That is not a sustainable position. Those who wish to erase our right to seek constitutional change will not succeed. Leadership involves facing into the choices that are there. If we get this right, when the border on this shared island fades away, it will be our ‘Berlin Wall moment’, people will be celebrating our achievement across Europe and around the world.

There are those who will paint a fearful picture and try to encourage an oppressive climate of threat and intimidation. They know precisely what they are doing. Do not heed them; we are collectively striving for something different and better. Despite the pressures and demands on those involved with this collective task, we refuse to be passive bystanders in this historic moment for our island.

We know what our responsibilities are, and we will not turn away from them. We urge others here and everywhere to be with us and be part of the effort of making a new and united Ireland more than mere words in a constitutional document.

We call on the Irish Government once again to take the initiative by, for example, establishing an all-island Citizens’ Assembly; determined political leadership is essential in parallel with the civic initiatives that will continue. This is the right time, in a spirit of generosity, to make the case for change in the best interests of everyone on our shared island. A new Ireland is, in the end, simply the better option.

Colin Harvey is on the Management Board of Ireland’s Future. This article is written in a personal capacity only.