Simon Harris’s letter invites all-island party leaders to discuss future constitution

Tánaiste Simon Harris has written to every political party leader on the island, flagging an opportunity for “meaningful and respectful engagement” on future constitutional options.The letter follows the publication last week of documents by Fine Gael that looked at the constitutional, identity and economic questions surrounding the unification of the island.“No one political party owns the discussion about the future of this island, nor should any one party seek to determine its outcome,” said Harris, who promised earlier this year that Fine Gael would produce a “blueprint” for a unified Ireland.“Irrespective of constitutional aspirations, there is much we can do together to strengthen relationships, deepen co-operation and improve the everyday lives of people across the island.” READ MOREUrging all leaders to accept his letter “in the constructive and respectful spirit in which it is intended”, Harris said an opportunity existed for “meaningful” engagement in advance of next year’s 30th anniversary of the Belfast Agreement.Besides Taoiseach Micheál Martin, the letter has been sent to Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald, Labour’s Ivana Bacik, and the Social Democrats’ acting leader, Cian O’Callaghan.It also went to Aontú’s Peadar Tóibín, along with Independent Ireland’s Michael Collins, Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman and People Before Profit’s Richard Boyd-Barrett.In Northern Ireland, Democratic Unionist Party leader Gavin Robinson was issued a copy, as were the Ulster Unionists’ Jon Burrows, the SDLP’s Claire Hanna, Traditional Unionist Voice’s Jim Allister and Alliance’s Naomi Long.The letter said conversation on the issue must be inclusive, but informed by “evidence, respectful of different constitutional perspectives and grounded firmly in the agreement and the principle of consent”. The Fine Gael documents propose the creation of a 1980s-style standing forum on constitutional matters, along with the appointment of a new minister of State for North-South relations.In addition, responsibility for dealing with Northern Ireland would transfer to the Department of the Taoiseach from the Department of Foreign Affairs, where it has resided for decades. A new constitutional planning unit would also be established. Are Fine Gael having an identity crisis?The budget for the long-standing reconciliation fund would be doubled and targeted at young people, while efforts would be made to expand practical all-island co-operation through the North-South Ministerial Council.Closer ties would be created between the internationally successful Industrial Development Authority and its less-successful Northern cousin, Invest Northern Ireland. The Tánaiste’s letter is the latest indication that the priority given by southern parties to the unification question is growing significantly, following decades where it had been effectively ignored.Earlier this week, the Taoiseach, who published Fianna Fáil’s idea on constitutional change a fortnight ago, said that he and the Tánaiste would sit down in the coming weeks to discuss possible actions.The Fine Gael document is seen by many as going further than its Fianna Fáil counterpart, especially because its standing forum, which would hear evidence in public, would have greater public visibility.Saying the work carried out by Fine Gael marks “a really important step forward”, Harris said it would kick-start a broader conversation on both sides of the island about unification.“Not having a plan for the future is not a plan,” he told a debate on the party’s unity report last Sunday, which has been led by Dublin West TD, Emer Currie, daughter of former SDLP leader and Fine Gael TD Austin Currie.Fianna Fáil backbenchers are quietly expecting action on Martin’s own ideas before Christmas, especially the creation of a new group to gather and commission evidence on the issues raised by constitutional change.