Response to census shows Sinn Fein has ‘no interest’ in a shared future

The DUP MP said the fact that Catholics now outnumber Protestants, and that the increase in the number of people registering as neither, means that the region is now made up of “three minorities”.

The Census 2021 figures, which were published on Thursday, showed that 45.7% of Northern Ireland’s population said they were either Catholic or brought up as a Catholic, while 43.48% were Protestant.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the figures show that a new united Ireland “is on the horizon” and that a plan for a border poll on Irish unity was urgently needed.

“Make no mistake now,” she said. “Government cannot continue to look the other way – change is happening. And it’s for all of us to seize the opportunity.”

However, a number of unionists have pointed out that, despite a rise in the percentage of Catholics, the number of people expressing an ‘Irish’ identity remains below 30% (29.1).

This compares to 31.9% saying they identified as ‘British’ only, and 19.8% as ‘Northern Irish’ only.

Mr Robinson said the Sinn Fein focus on “a divisive border poll at all costs” shows that any commitment to building a shared future “is in the Sinn Fein rear-view mirror”.

The East Belfast MP said: “The census publication shows there are three minorities in Northern Ireland. That trend has been developing over the last two decades.

“Sinn Fein’s sole response to the census has not been about building a shared future or the provision of public services, rather it has been about their divisive border poll plans.

“Sinn Fein evidently only believe in a shared future if involves everyone sharing their 32 county plans. Sinn Fein’s record on treating unionist minorities in the last twelve months has been shameful.”

Mr Robinson said that the way “pro-Union people are treated in the nationalist controlled councils,” shows there is “no space for Britishness” where republicans are dominant.

“Whether it is Fermanagh, Omagh, Londonderry, Newry, Newcastle or Kilkeel, Sinn Fein has proved that despite a sizable British minority, there is no space for Britishness.

“Not a Union Flag to mark the Duke of Edinburgh’s or Her Majesty the Queen’s passing. There’s no space for the loyal orders.

“There’s no space for anyone selling a poppy and there’s a normalisation of council facilities being named after republican terrorists,” he said.

“The Sinn Fein support for the Northern Ireland Protocol despite near universal unionist opposition, is another clear indication that Sinn Fein has no interest in sharing if you don’t share their constitutional outlook.

“That is not the spirit of the Belfast or successor agreements,” Mr Robinson added.

On Friday, Sinn Fein’s Ms McDonald said the need to being planning for a border poll was “urgent”.

Speaking in Dublin at the launch of her party’s Budget 2023 proposals, she said Sinn Fein would make financial provision for the establishment of a citizens’ assembly on Irish reunification.

“I believe that this matter is now urgent,” she said.

“It’s time for an inclusive conversation about the future of our country. And that is a future that belongs to everybody who calls this island home.”

She said the Irish Government had “stuck its head in the sand” about the issue to date.

Her comments were made after Ireland’s Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said the priority in Northern Ireland must be on mending relationships and not planning for a border poll.