AS many readers of The Irish News will know, we are a civic initiative working to promote dialogue and debate about the constitutional future of our shared island.
We are committed to achieving the successful reunification of Ireland, and believe that can only be done through effective preparation. Ireland's Future continues to enable and support positive conversations about how we all plan properly.
In our view, the referendums on the constitutional future are likely to be held within the next decade. We commend those who have joined us in this collective effort, aimed at responsible management of the process. Every week it seems that a new initiative is launched, and we very much welcome that. We are delighted to be part of a wider and deeper civic dynamic for genuine change.
Our focus remains on encouraging inclusive and informed civic engagement, and that is why we recommend the creation of an all-island citizens' assembly, a body that will examine the framework and options in much more depth.
That is one part of what is now required. Our view is that the people of this island must be ready, and have as much clarity as possible in advance of the referendums being held. We know the challenges involved in taking this path, and we are more aware than most of the caricatures and stereotypes that continue to surround this discussion.
But in a post-Brexit context our view is that the work must be done long before the referendums take place. We have to learn the right lessons from the Brexit mess. Who can really be afraid of sensible planning? What person with any sense of civic responsibility would avoid the required preparations?
We are convinced that these referendums are likely to happen sooner than many appear to believe. We remain alarmed by the ongoing levels of complacency that exist on this island. We also understand that political events can determine what happens next, and some of that is simply outside the direct control of, for example, the Irish government.
Even a cursory familiarity with the current chaotic British constitutional context tells you everything you need to know about the fragile state of the union.
A bridge or a tunnel will not fix that. In our view, it is politically unsustainable to deny people here a choice, particularly when that option now involves return to the EU for a region that opted for `remain'. Planning for the time when people will be given that choice is a shared responsibility for all of us. And we will be playing our part. No one should be fearful of openly participating and we continue to urge people to become involved or even start their own conversations.
We therefore ask people to join with us in an open, respectful and inclusive conversation about the future, anchored in and based on the parameters established by the Good Friday Agreement. In particular, Ireland's Future calls on our friends in the US and internationally to support our efforts for the establishment of an all-island Citizens' Assembly and assist us in persuading the Irish government to take the next step.
We know how our work is portrayed and perceived. Those participating in these constitutional conversations often take significant risks to do so. No one needs to pretend or hide their preferences. There is an onerous responsibility on those who are genuinely concerned about the future of our shared island to do this work. More and more people across civil society appear to agree. Imagine being the generation that finally addresses our extended exercise in avoidance on this island, imagine being part of a civic movement that achieves constitutional change here, at long last.
:: Colin Harvey is a member of the management board of Ireland's Future. Further details can be found here: https://irelandsfuture.com.
