IRELAND'S Future is continuing its series of island-wide public meetings with an event today at the Mansion House in Dublin.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonnell will be joined on a panel by Dublin City University's Professor John Doyle, chief imam at Islamic Centre Ireland Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri, Fianna Fail TD Jim O'Callaghan and his Fine Gael counterpart Neale Richmond.
The discussion will be chaired by broadcaster Audrey Carville.
The meeting follows last month's publication of the civic society group's fourth discussion document, focussing on the rights and obligations that prevail in the context of a changing constitutional environment.
Mr Richmond, who is thought to be the first Fine Gael politician to take part in an Ireland's Future event, told The Irish News that Brexit had "utterly changed the political dynamics across this island".
He said that while the timing of a border poll was not as yet in the gift of the Irish people there was still a "duty to prepare".
"I fundamentally believe the prospects of a poll are more imminent than ever before – learning the mistakes from Brexit, we need an agreed process and also a clear question with a clear answer," he said.
“I aspire for a united Ireland but crucially a new Ireland that harnesses the best of both existing jurisdictions, learns from past mistakes and is a genuinely warm place for all."
The Mansion House event begins at 1pm and will be live streamed.
On November 26, Ireland's Future will host a gala lunch at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Belfast with economist David McWilliams.
