Irish Unity Inevitabe - Alex Salmond

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

The former First Minister of Scotland on a visit to Ireland has said he believes Irish Unity is as inevitable as Scottish Independence.

He told an Irish newspaper such political development could only happen in the future as long as it is done democratically, peacefully and with the consent of the people, particularly those in the north of the island.

Alex Salmond said of Irish unity:

“This is a matter for the people of Ireland and obviously for the north of Ireland in particular. It has to be done by consent, it has to be done democratically and peacefully and the rest of it.

“I think that is the way history will move. But it is for the people of Ireland to judge these things.”

The former First Minister justified his optimism by pointing to and said some people had said:

“The idea of an SNP majority in a Scottish parliament was ridiculous,” but it had come to pass.

He continued:

“The idea of a referendum on independence was absurd. Also, when I started out in politics the idea of the Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin being in coalition in Northern Ireland would have been regarded as absurd. Yet I was there watching the Reverend Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness put aside the past to think about the future.”

He concluded by saying:

“Politics ebbs and flows. There are tough times, there are good times, there are bad times, there are difficult issues to be resolved. But the movement of history seems to be for a bit more than co-existence on this island.”

While in Dublin Mr Salmond who is now the SNP Foreign Affairs spokesman at Westminster met with representatives of Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil and received a top honour on Monday night from Trinity College Dublin.

He was presented by the University Law Society at Trinity with the Praeses Elit Award “in recognition for his outstanding contribution to politics and public service”.

BERNARD MOFFATT

Issued by: The Celtic News

26/11/15

THE CELTIC LEAGUE INFORMATION SERVICE.

The Celtic League established in 1961 has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It promotes cooperation between the countries and campaigns on a range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, military activity and socio-economic issues

http://celticleague.net

Photo: Alex Salmond with Sinn Fein representatives in Dublin

 

Mannin Branch Celtic League's photo.

 

 

 

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