David McCann: Planning for Irish unity need not wait, taoiseach |
I WAS listening to the “How to Unite Ireland?” podcast last week and its interview with Taoiseach Micheál Martin, where he spoke at length about the complex issues around the constitutional future of this island.
For those interested in the constitutional debate, it is definitely a great listen.
A conversation that saw the taoiseach challenged but also allowed to outline his views.
In a debate that quite often is characterised by too much heat and not enough light, it was a welcome contribution.
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However, listening to the taoiseach, I felt a growing sense of frustration.
A frustration at not selling enough of the important work he is doing, and a frustration that he is not acknowledging how much the game has changed over the past decade.
Martin referenced the work of the Shared Island fund, one of the most important soft-power initiatives undertaken by an Irish government.
It has helped put real resources behind north-south cooperation and made Dublin a more substantive presence in the north.
Tourism and infrastructure projects are all benefiting from this initiative,........