Gay Mitchell would rejoin the Commonwealth if it meant an United Ireland
Martin McGuinness publicly rejects Queen Elizabeth again at presidential debate
Published Wednesday, October 12, 2011, 8:42 AM
Updated Wednesday, October 12, 2011, 10:12 AM
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"The Last Word" Irish presidential debate
Photo by Today FM
Fine Gael’s presidential candidate Gay Mitchell has said he would join the British Commonwealth in exchange for a United Ireland.
Speaking on The Last Word’s debate on Today FM, alongside the other six presidential hopefuls, he said he would be “disposed” to the idea if it meant having a 32-county republic.
He told the host Matt Cooper, “If it was the price of a United Ireland I would be disposed towards the idea...We have to stop thinking like this – we have blinkers on our heads all the time, we all think that we’re inclusive, so long as we’re inclusive of our own narrow view.”
Mitchell’s comments were an attack at McGuinness who called the Commonwealth “wrong”.
McGuinness said, “Gay is saying that he would accept that the Queen of England would have precedence over the Irish president.
“I don’t accept that at all. I believe that would be totally and absolutely wrong.”
Speaking after the debate, Mitchell said the Commonwealth had evolved since 1949, when Ireland left. He described it as a trading bloc that doesn’t necessitate the Queen as its figure head.
Mitchell said “The majority of members are republics – 33 – and five countries have different monarchs…Mandela led South Africa back to the Commonwealth in 1994. Regardless, it is a matter for the government.”
McGuinness called the debate pathetic.
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During the two-hour debate each of the seven candidates spoke.
Mary Davis also took issue with some of Mitchell’s comments about Ireland hosting “some Olympics”.
Davis, who organizes Ireland’s Special Olympics, said “We were a group of people who got together and actually did something.” She added that the President of Ireland should celebrate diversity.
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DanOLoingsigh | Oct 15, 2011, 04:53 AM EDT
Rejoining the Commonwealth would largely be a symbolic gesture…Ireland has most of the (small) advantages offered by being in this ‘club’. What about offering this small gesture, or do we prefer the unionists to roll-over and walk into ‘the Republic’ with their hands up. Small price for uniting the island?
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warrenpoint00 | Oct 14, 2011, 08:22 PM EDT
The old brits left part of our island in 1922 but reading some of these posts on IC looks like quite a few stayed behind and are resurfacing again. Go on now ... go back home...get outa here... shooh, you know who you are this is Ireland not the UK.... run along now please and take your brit apologist politicians with you.slan abhaile
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seanomelbourne | Oct 14, 2011, 07:35 PM EDT
The brits love your type maybe you should read a little history.Let us begin with the gerrymander and how the north was set up as a bigoted statelet.
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Kilsally | Oct 14, 2011, 09:51 AM EDT
What is misinformation about it - yes the UK bailed out / nationalised banks but the country didn`t go bankrupt - the Uk is not part of the euro - Greece, the Republic of Ireland and other single currency countries have had to be bailed out by other countries which is an entirely different situation. A Pathetic idea you say - hence why partition is here to stay until a majority in NI vote otherwise and with an attitude like that you are not going to make much inroads now are you?
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seanomelbourne | Oct 13, 2011, 07:19 PM EDT
What a load of misinformation, the Euro is in crisis due to bank greed, Aughavey sidesteps the British banks who folded or were bought out by the government and the austerity measures brought in to salvage the British economy. Joint heads of state!! what a pathetic idea.What will we call it?Maybe the "Irish hydra" would suit.
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Aughavey | Oct 13, 2011, 06:48 AM EDT
McGuinness wrongly stated that joining the commonwealth would cede Irish sovereignty. The Commonwealth includes many Republics that do not have the Queen as head of State and it is simply a trading bloc of partners not a political or economic union of any sort. Infact the Republic has laready ceded most of it`s sovereignty to the European Union (as has the UK), more so ROI as it signed over it`s fiscal powers to Europe when it joined the single currency, hence why it is beholden to the European Central Bank regarding interest rates and why Germnay & France are pulling all it`s string regarding debt. The `north` is actually in better shape than the Republic SirPeter and having a United Ireland would actually disadvantage both areas since the Republic could not afford the subsidy NI gets since most of it`s workers are civil servants. And with regards sterling and UK membership of the Euro -you are way off base. The euro is in crisis due to Greec, Ireland and Italy in sever debt and others having to bail them out. Returning to Gay Michell - he actually suggested that the Queen remains head of state in Northern Ireland or having a joint head of state for NI in any future United Ireland, confirming that a United Ireland would infact like envisaged by the SDLP and others still be partitioned with a devolved Northern Ireland Assembly like we have now - like I have always said the solution to Northern Ireland is self government of NI by NI people not London or Dublin rule.
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JOHNTOBIN | Oct 13, 2011, 02:17 AM EDT
I believe Eamon DeValera was in favour of a similar arrangement.
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sirpeter | Oct 12, 2011, 09:41 PM EDT
@ancavker Spot on!!The north is a huge economic basket case.That's why it makes sense to have a UI.Look at all the money that is going from Ireland to Poland.It's not Irish money it's EU money.The standard of living has to rise in Poland.They have to have money to buy EU goods.It's how economics works.NI is a basket case.The Brits are not going to put up with that forever.More importantly the Euro and the EU are here to stay and it's costing the Brits a hell of a lot to keep their sterling.Sooner or later the Brits will toe the line and the Unionist's will toe the line too.Because a United States of Europe is in the making and British modern day egotism is in for a big shock.Ireland is going to default.Greece is going default.Bullsh*t!!!It will NEVER happen.The self fondling West Brits on this site will need Viagra soon enough to keep their wet dreams alive.
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Nelsonbarry | Oct 12, 2011, 08:54 PM EDT
What's he bonkers. What the hell does he think 1916 and 1921 were all about. Let the Queen stay in England where she belongs and let Ireland be Ireland.
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seanomelbourne | Oct 12, 2011, 06:20 PM EDT
Ask the unionists if they would accept a UI in the commonwealth without the queen as head of state.The answer would most certainly be no.The west brits have been pushing this line for years and gained no traction north or south. commonwealth status has been a Finn Gael mantra for years(pie in the sky stuff).As always the devil would be in the detail of such a move. An independent united Irish republic in the commonwealth may be acceptable.One should remember N.S.W. lang government was sacked by the king during the depression.Lang refused to pay debts to english banks until the state could afford to pay.G.Whitlam P.M. of Australia was sacked by the queen (1975).The conservative senate refused broke convention and refused to pass the supply bill. Both governments had a lower house majority.Be careful what you wish for my Irish friends.
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Towngate | Oct 12, 2011, 06:11 PM EDT
Ankie: On the Flag: Ireland as a whole is already is already symbolised and represented within the design of the Union Flag. Perhaps if it ever came to a reunified Ireland, that red Cross of Saint Patrick could be changed to Green. That might look nice, and the little Irelanders can kid themselves they are only saluting the Irish bit of it!! So, a Cairde; - All friends and neighbours at last, and we can avail of the The Queens 38 territorial markets and resources and her stable currency. She might even let us call her Pound a 'Punt' - in our quaint sweet little oirishy way!
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ancavker | Oct 12, 2011, 04:50 PM EDT
Martin: I think this is hypothetically speaking. Of course when the latest survey was taken this year, most residents in the north would vote to stay in the UK, due to the economic upheaval in the south. But if that turns around opinions mirth change. However, the north is a huge economic basket case, subsidized massively by Britain; they have nothing to be proud of. At the end of the day their dole is better than the south's that is all.
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MartinB | Oct 12, 2011, 12:24 PM EDT
Surely, as part of the maturing process we keep hearing so much about in Ireland, the discussion about a United Ireland and rejoining the Commonwealth is a little old hat. For one thing, Ireland could ill afford reunification and - much more importantly - every poll that has ever been conducted in the North - including one earlier this year - shows 70% opposed to it, and that is even with Catholics now representing more that 42% of the population in the 6 counties. It is now clear that even with demographic parity in the North in the future, they have moved on while we are not. Commonwealth never! United Ireland,pure rhetoric! Good neighbours of course!
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ancavker | Oct 12, 2011, 11:34 AM EDT
Rejoining the commonwealth would be a small price to pay if it meant a united Ireland, but it won't. The unionists in the 6 counties would keep moving the goal posts; it simply would not be enough for them. Then they would want the flag changed, and it would probably have to include some form of the Union Jack like Australia, then the national anthem would have to be changed, and on it would go. If the Republic did rejoin the Queen would simply he head of the commonwealth, not the head of state of a united Ireland. As far as a common currency well that was the UK's choice by not joining the Euro.
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