Northern Ireland

Ireland's Future to host online discussion on Irish unity tonight

Civic nationalism group Ireland's Future is to host an online discussion on Irish unity tonight
Civic nationalism group Ireland's Future is to host an online discussion on Irish unity tonight Civic nationalism group Ireland's Future is to host an online discussion on Irish unity tonight

CIVIC nationalism group Ireland's Future is to host an online discussion about unionism and Irish unity tonight, chaired by broadcaster Andrea Catherwood.

Panellists will include independent MLA Trevor Lunn; Rev Karen Sethuraman, the first female Baptist minister in Ireland; leading trade unionist and Irish Labour party member Mark Langhammer; businessman and former British soldier Glenn Bradley; and Denzil McDaniel, former managing editor of the Impartial Reporter.

The group has hosted talks and published several discussion papers in the two years since a gathering at Belfast's Waterfront Hall in 2019.

It is urging political parties across Ireland, and particularly the government in Dublin, to plan for constitutional change.

Gerry Carlile, chief executive of Ireland's Future, said tonight's panellists would "describe themselves as coming from a unionist or a Protestant background".

"It's important that the conversation extends beyond those who are natural or emotional united Irelanders... Not just those who are from a unionist background but also those who may not have been living here very long," he said.

Mr Carlile said tonight's discussion is the ninth online event since May.

Other panels have looked at issues including the economy, health, Brexit and young people.

"Our intention is to publish more research and discussion documents in 2021 and to continue to provide a platform for discussion," he said.

"Once we get over Covid we would intend to take these discussions back out among communities the length and breadth of Ireland and also into the Irish diaspora."

Tonight's panel will be broadcast on Ireland's Future's Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram channels from 7pm.