Partition of Ireland ‘was a disaster’, Micheál Martin says

The partition of Ireland was a “disaster”, Irish premier Micheál Martin has said.

In a speech at the annual Fianna Fáil Wolfe Tone commemoration in Co Kildare, the Taoiseach said partition had “made both parts of our island less diverse and less successful”.

Mr Martin also said the recent dispute over the Drumcree parade in Portadown had “damaged everyone”.

Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant intervened to ban the march following a request from PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher to review a determination from the Parades Commission.

Crowds of protesters had turned out on the Portadown road in opposition to the parade, which had been permitted for the first time for almost 30 years, leading to a stand-off which lasted almost two weeks.

Mr Martin said: “As I said clearly at the time, there was no logic behind reopening an issue which everyone felt had been dealt with.

“It is absolutely right to say that there can be no going back to the days of escalating conflict around parades.

“The problem for everyone is that there are those who genuinely don’t seem to understand that how they behave means that as well as no going back, there is no going forward either.

“When confronted with a situation like this, people who are interested in uniting communities don’t call for a reckoning, they call for a dialogue.”

Mr Martin said there needed to be a “much greater understanding of the issues which are relevant to deciding on constitutional changes”.

He criticised those who claim “all we need is a White Paper and a Citizen’s Assembly and everything will work itself out” over Irish unity.

Sinn Féin has previously attempted to bring forward legislation for a Citizen’s Assembly on unity.

Mr Martin said: “This is exactly the type of approach which is unlikely to secure the change of public opinion required to make a vote likely or winnable.

“Partition was a disaster. It made both parts of our island less diverse and less successful.

“And crucially, it has led to over a century of divergence in social, economic, educational, health, legal and other areas.

“We make a lot of assumptions about each other, but the levels of engagement north and south have been very limited.

“True republicans aren’t focused on winning a fight; they are focused on the society and state which can be built.”