THE SDLP leader has called for the re-establishment of the New Ireland Forum, suggesting nationalists and unionists could shape the future of the island.
Colum Eastwood told his annual party conference that no referendum on Irish unity should be called until the work of the forum is complete.
The original New Ireland Forum was a cross-border body set up by the Irish government in 1983 to gather a range of views on how to end the Troubles.
Its members were Irish nationalists.
But in calling for a new forum, Mr Eastwood told his party colleagues: “We all have a duty to tell our unionist neighbours – ‘You belong to this place every bit as much as I do – therefore you have the very same right to shape the future of this island’.
“They also need to hear that while we want to shape the change ahead, we want to make Northern Ireland work right now.”
He then appealed to directly to unionists: “Try to convince us of your vision for the future and we’ll try to convince you of ours – and then in time let the people decide.”
Saturday’s conference was held in Belfast’s Titanic building, in east Belfast.
The SDLP leader said: “I am all too aware that talk of a New Ireland risks sending some in this community to the hills – and I am very sensitive to that fact.”
But he added: “There are many within the unionist community who are willing to engage and who are willing to explore new possibilities.”
Mr Eastwood used the example of the late DUP leader Ian Paisley, who entered government with Sinn Féin in 2007.
“I always think that one of the most remarkable moments in our modern politics came just before Dr Ian Paisley finally crossed the Rubicon and embraced power-sharing”, the SDLP leader said.
In his speech, Mr Eastwood spoke about an “all-Ireland health service, free at the point of delivery” and an island that “gives power and place to all its rich traditions”.
He added: “No one party can shape that New Ireland and all of us must have an investment in it.
“The New Ireland Forum is the best way to produce that blueprint and that plan – no referendum should be called until that work is done.”
Ahead of the conference, the SDLP leader was questioned about speculation of possible merger with Fianna Fáil, the Republic of Ireland’s biggest opposition party.
Mr Eastwood replied that speculation had been around for 15 or 20 years and his immediate focus was on Brexit and the restoration of devolution
“There’s always a conversation about what comes next in Irish politics,” he told BBC News NI.
“I’m happy to talk about that stuff, but what I’m most focused on is what we’re doing with the country – how we’re meeting the challenges of Brexit; how we’re meeting the challenges of our institutions not being there and how we’re going to get back to the Good Friday Agreement.
“Any future talk about how we re-order politics in the long term – that’s for another day. Today is about dealing with the problems that face our people right now.”
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