'He can fantasise all he wants': Unionists react to TD's statement that Northern Ireland is 'occupied' territory and the Good Friday Agreement is 'a stepping stone to unity'
Unionist politicians have hit back at a Fianna Fail TD over his claim that Northern Ireland is “occupied” territory.
The DUP said Cathal Crowe’s remark shows “deep-seated contempt for Northern Ireland” in Dublin, while the TUV said it displayed a “Putin-like attitude”.
Founded by Eamon de Valera, Fianna Fail – whose full title is “Fianna Fail: The Republican Party” – currently holds the prime ministership of the Republic in the form of taoiseach Micheal Martin.
Mr Crowe said on Wednesday night during a discussion about Ukraine in the Dail: “Anyone who studies Irish history – we are all experts on it down here, but maybe our Ukrainian friends do not know Irish history so well – will know that Ireland endured 800 years of invading forces and plantations.
“In 1921, it was believed that in 1922 a deal could be brokered, and it would lead to peace and we could still have territory.
“It does not, because there is still a corner of our country occupied. We had the Good Friday Agreement, but it is only a stepping-stone to unification.
“It is a source of hurt for this country even a century later that Northern Ireland exists as an entity.”
TUV vice-chairman Councillor Allister Kyle said: “The mindset displayed by Mr Crowe is strikingly similar to that of President Putin who has attacked the right of Ukraine to exist...
“His remarks should act as a wake up call to Unionists who have bought into the Protocol implementing process. Far from regarding the Belfast Agreement as a settlement, Mr Crowe described it as ‘only a stepping-stone’ to an all-Ireland.
“It is time that he, his party and indeed the EU showed a little bit of respect for ‘territorial boundaries’. Perhaps then they could be taken seriously when it comes to Ukraine.
"Unionism too would do well to reflect on the fact that that the constitutional ambitions of Dublin remain unchanged."
Upper Bann DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley said Mr Crowe’s comments are “yet another example of the deep-seated contempt for Northern Ireland that still exists within certain sections of the Irish political sphere”.
"While Mr Crowe chose to reference the Belfast Agreement in his remarks, he conveniently ignored the fundamental element of that Agreement: the principle of consent,” said Mr Buckley.
“The Belfast Agreement reaffirmed that Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom unless and until a majority here decide otherwise.
"The Irish Government, as part of that Agreement, removed its constitutional claim to Northern Ireland. Yet Mr Crowe seems to believe that unification is merely an inevitability rather than a matter of democratic will.
“His remarks demonstrate a romantic view of Irish unity, one that disregards the reality that Northern Ireland exists as an integral and legitimate part of the United Kingdom, and that the majority viewpoint here is pro-Union. The principle of consent cannot simply be wished away by rhetoric...
“Mr Crowe can fantasise all he wants, but Northern Ireland’s future will be decided by the people who live here, not by wishful thinking in Dublin.”