There has been a flurry of statements and events pushing the issue of a possible future united Ireland closer to the centre of political debate in recent weeks.

It seems likely that by the next time voters come to choose a government, all the parties will be putting forward ideas on the issue in a way that they have never had to do before.

This is hardly a change for Sinn Féin, but recently the party seems to have been addressing the unity issue with renewed ardour. Sometimes this is what Sinn Féin does when it doesn’t want to talk about other stuff. And the party has yet to come up with its own plan, preferring to say it’s the responsibility of the Government to do so. But still, Mary Lou McDonald is turning up the dial a bit.

This week, she insisted that the Government’s number one priority for its presidency of the European Union for the next six months should be ... a united Ireland. That would certainly surprise Ireland’s EU partners, it’s fair to say. Next week, Sinn Féin will table a private members bill in the Dáil which would compel the Government to publish a Green Paper on unity and establish a citizens’ assembly.

People get promoted until they reach a job they can’t do (and other lessons from the UK)

Whatever Simon Harris says, we are far from a ‘blueprint’ for a united Ireland

The Healy-Raes were seen as great gas. But there is little funny about their politics

Darragh O’Brien on new help to buy EVs, Ireland’s missed climate targets and Fianna Fáil’s leadership

And last weekend, in her speech to her party’s........

© The Irish Times