Deceptive EU Science Dominates Ireland's Future Event in Belfast

Ireland's Future event held on June 15th 2024 in Belfast threw out some interesting variables. Taking the lead at the outset, saw Professor Brendan O’Leary getting narky regarding the failure of the technical apparatus for his presentation before concluding an ‘experimental lecture’ of sorts, of which a ten-year-old could reason.? In that it's best policy to set out one’s stall in a Directive (for the merits of unification) other than to pitch on principle.? He then hypothesised that to ‘sell’ a ‘United Ireland’ (an expression that is incendiary to unionists) on the premise that any new Irish state would be in the EU, would receive more votes in a border poll.?

This view is misguided. However, he cleverly set up the theme for the event, in that any new Ireland must be in the EU.? Many would suggest that the pro-EU Ireland's Future group had purposely set up the pro-EU propaganda science (by Brendan O'Leary) to feature at the outset of the event in order to not just set the tone, but to cement their 'Any new Ireland must be in the EU' agenda. Any fool could see right through O'Leary's deceptive 'soft landing' mumbo jumbo.

When is someone going to orate about the democratic merits of advocating a referendum on joining the EU post-unification, a policy which would also appeal to unionists?

Next in line, to cement the EU view, saw another Professor - Colin Harvey scale the platform to orate a very bland, technically wooden drawn-out lecture (not forgetting he has already published documents on the case for Irish Unity in the EU).? He concluded by talking about reconciliation but used the ‘Free Palestine’ endnote which is distasteful/divisive language to many.

The event was politician-heavy. There were six politicians on view at one interval, one who elaborated on the value of Citizens Assemblies which would include Trade Unionists – what about ordinary people with no appropriate job descriptor? Ordinary people want to be involved in the decision-making process, not to clap their political masters in the auditorium – many who have lost the trust of their electorate. ?

The All-Protestant Unionist Panel was perhaps the most teasing. Believing that the insulting to unionists' Phrase ‘United Ireland’ might be being used by nationalists surreptitiously, to work against a 32-county state, it was pointed out by one panel member that perhaps some quarters in Ireland’s Future were on a revenge mission and were not interested in reconciliation, but more interested in a tiny 51% majority in any forthcoming border poll - believing this percentage will be enough – IT WON’T BE.