Council passes motion to call on Taoiseach and Stormont for United Ireland citizens' assembly
Fianna Fáil's Eamon Quinlan proposed an amendment that would also see the motion passed to Stormont
Waterford City and County Council passed a motion that will see the council call on the Oireachtas and Stormont to establish an island-wide citizen assembly to discuss the establishment of a United Ireland.
The motion, put forward by Sinn Féin’s seven councillors and read by councillor Donnchadh Mulcahy, said people from “diverse backgrounds” are engaging with the prospect of Irish Unity.
The statement referenced a 2024 report released by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, which identified citizens’ assemblies and similar fora as necessary steps towards a United Ireland.
“This Council resolves to write to the Office of An Taoiseach, calling on the Irish Government to actively plan and prepare for Irish unity by establishing an all-island representative Citizens’ Assembly,” the statement read.
“It further calls on Government to produce and publish a clear plan towards Irish unity in conjunction with civic society and key stakeholders, to engage constructively with northern Protestant and unionist opinion regarding the future constitutional status of Ireland, and to work to secure a date for the unity referendums as provided for under the Good Friday Agreement.”
Kate O’Mahony seconded the motion. She said she believed it was time for the reunification of Ireland in “an organised, respectful and democratic approach”.
“The Good Friday Agreement provides the peaceful democratic mechanisms needed to work towards unity, and the government must start preparing without any more delay.”
Fianna Fáil councillor Eamon Quinlan proposed an amendment to the motion that would see the council reiterate the call to Stormont and the Northern Irish first minister.
“There will be heavy lifting for the 26 counties and the six counties to unify health services, education systems, and we can't as the 26 counties be guilty of trying to act unilaterally on this. We need our brothers and sisters in the six counties to be a part of this.”
The amended motion passed comfortably.
