Sinn Féin does not rule out Union flag flying in a united Ireland

Sinn Féin has not ruled out the possibility that the Union flag could fly above Leinster House if the North and Republic united in future.

Asked if he could envisage the day when the UK’s national flag would fly over Leinster House, Pearse Doherty said he could not see the day when that would happen but that a discussion was needed to accommodate those of a Unionist tradition in the event of Ireland uniting.

Speaking as Sinn Féin’s elected representatives met in Cavan, he said: “We need a conversation about symbolism, for the million people who identify as British and who believe deeply in their identity...It is important that those symbols are part of this new Ireland.

“This is not just a question for Sinn Féin, but other parties in the south should come together to discuss this what kind of united Ireland there will be.”

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Mr Doherty also said polls show there is a majority in favour of a united Ireland in the context of the ongoing Brexit negotiations.

Conor Murphy, a Sinn Féin MLA for Armagh, claimed the British government would employ the tactic of inordinate delay in Brexit negotiations in order to coerce the European Union into an unfavourable deal.

Divorce deal

He expressed concern that negotiations on the divorce deal between the UK and EU appeared to have been pushed back from an October deadline to November but with the UK still due to leave the bloc in March.

“We have long experience of these people (the British government) in negotiations. They run this to the wire and they try to bounce the EU and the Irish Government into a deal which is in the interests of Britain and certainly not in the interests of the people living in this island,” he said.

“The British government, in looking after its own interests in Westminster, is reliant on the DUP to remain in power and has therefore adopted a policy of drift which is essentially seeing nothing happening in our process.”

Mr Murphy said there had been “no plan, no clear idea” produced by the British government on how to get powersharing running again in the North.

“We want both governments to play a leading role. If we cannot get the DUP to deal with the rights issues, with legacy issues, with the implementation of matters previously agreed, then both governments, as guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement, should ensure that people in the six counties are entitled to the same rights as those in the 26 counties.”