Sinn Fein demands vote on Irish unity by 2025

SINN FEIN has made a border poll on Irish unity within five years a precondition for joining a coalition government in Dublin.

Speaking at the launch of the party’s manifesto yesterday, Mary Lou Mcdonald, the president of Sinn Fein, said it wanted a border plebiscite by 2025 and an all-party forum on unification to convene in the next parliament.

The Irish general election takes place on Feb 8. The latest opinion poll, released on Monday by The Irish Times, showed a surge in support for Sinn Fein. The party had a popularity rating of 21 per cent, up 7 per cent since the last poll three months ago, and marginally behind the ruling Fine Gael party on 23 per cent and the biggest opposition party Fianna Fail on 25 per cent.

The campaign has been dominated by domestic issues such as a chronic shortage of housing and chaos in the health sector. Sinn Fein’s claims that these crises have been caused by decades of mismanagement by the two establishment parties have resonated with voters.

If these levels were replicated in the general election, then Fine Gael and Fianna Fail would find it hard to form a stable government without Sinn Fein MPS. However, both parties have ruled out a coalition with the former political wing of the Provisional IRA.

Michael Martin, the leader of Fianna Fail, has alleged that Sinn Fein’s policy is still dictated by the IRA’S army council.

Sinn Fein is the second biggest party in the power-sharing executive in Northern Ireland and its policy is to be in government on both sides of the border, which would bolster its demands for a referendum on Irish unity.