INC campaign gathers steam
By Michael Pierse
On Wednesday in the Royal Dublin Hotel the Irish
National Congress kick-started a campaign to defend
Articles 2 and 3. Chairperson Robert Ballagh starkly
conveyed the nature of the proposed referendum in his
opening speech to a packed hall: ``I am being asked to
give my consent to a constitutional change which would
evict northern nationalists from Ireland.''
Dr Anne McCluskey of Derry INC articulated the sense of
betrayal felt by northern nationalists:''now we are
witnessing the unkindest cut of all, because it will be
inflicted not by the British, but by the Irish people.''
Damien Kiberd, editor of The Sunday Business Post said
citizens of the 26 counties were being asked ``to close
their eyes and accept this palpable untruth - what a
piece of monumental stupidity.''
Clare INC delegate Donnacha Vaughan addressed in
particular the ambivalent and often ludicrous
implications which alterations to the Articles could
have. Any dilution of the Articles, it transpired,
would most likely cause inconsistencies with Articles
one, nine, 51 and 63. Also, there would be the entirely
farcical situation whereby ``everyone in northern
Ireland will be Irish citizens but will not be living
in Ireland.'' Also, if Ireland was to be declared as
merely a body of people rather than a geographical
unit, what of the personal property held by Irish
individuals - can one own part of a land which does not
constitutionally exist?
Demographic circumstances within the Six Counties were
also discussed. Belfast solicitor Barra McGrory asked:
``Where four of the six counties...have a substantial
nationalist majority, isn't it amazing that the Irish
government has chosen this time to sell out Irish
nationhood?'' He also noted that The Amsterdam Treaty
contains a legal requirement to respect the national
territories of each member state, which could well
conflict with the amendments to the Articles.
Dara Uí Coigligh of Sinn Féin commented that Fianna
Fáil had ``got away with selling passports to
millionaire foreigners but will not get away with
selling 700,000 Irish passports to the British
government.''
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