An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-23
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Cathal Byrne (FG), Cultural and Educational Panel

I would also like to join in the comments to the new Leader of the House, Senator Ahearn, and to congratulate him and say that I very much look forward to working with him. It is a very nice moment to be joined in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery by a distinguished set of visitors. I congratulate the entire Ahearn family, a family with deep roots in public service and with a proud tradition of serving both in this building and also in council chambers in the past. It very much is appreciated, in particular, by those of us on the Fine Gael side of the House, that we have the opportunity to have them join us here for our new Leader's first Order of Business.
Today, on the Order of Business, I want to commemorate and reflect on the legacy of the Battle of Vinegar Hill which took place on 21 June 1798. The 228th anniversary was commemorated in my home town, on Vinegar Hill, in Enniscorthy, only last weekend. I very much welcome the Tánaiste's comments that Fine Gael will shortly be undertaking a discussion document, a blueprint for what a united Ireland would look like. I am a very proud republican. I believe passionately in a united Ireland. I believe that the institutions of our Republic must and are compelled to fundamentally participate in making sure that in my lifetime, as somebody who is 35, we will have a united Ireland. In the context of 1798, a tradition that united all sides of the divide, I call on us in this Chamber to have discussion on a united Ireland, particularly as it relates to the Presidency of the EU and reflecting on the fact that the former Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, secured a commitment that were the North of Ireland to rejoin the South of Ireland and we have a united Ireland, it would automatically be part of the EU. There is a wider discussion to be had, as our Presidency approaches.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-06-23/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:05+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-23