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Leo Varadkar and Micheal Martin have \u201cdone nothing\u201d to prepare for a referendum on a united Ireland, the deputy leader of Sinn F\u00e9in has said.<\/p>\nLeo Varadkar and Micheal Martin have \u201cdone nothing\u201d to prepare for a referendum on a united Ireland, the deputy leader of Sinn F\u00e9in has said.<\/p>\n
Speaking at Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s public meeting in Dublin\u2019s Liberty Hall tonight, Michelle O\u2019Neill said planning for a poll on a united Ireland must begin and she expects one will be held within the next five years.<\/p>\n
More than 800 people attended the party\u2019s first public meeting in Co, Cork last night aimed at drumming up support for them to be in government.<\/p>\n
Ms O\u2019Neill said: \u201cChange is coming. It is an inevitable position that we are all in.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have no doubt in my mind that in the immediate future we will be voting in a border poll.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur party position is that there should be a unity referendum in the next five years as that gives us time to plan. There has to be preparation and we have to give people information.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe new Ireland we want to live in is not just for republicans or nationalists \u2013 it has to be for every single person who shares this island.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is nothing to fear from it, it is actually something better.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms O\u2019Neill accused the leaders of Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael \u2013 Mr Martin and Mr Varadkar \u2013 of doing nothing to prepare for a united Ireland.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cLeo and Miche\u00e1l purport to be united Irelanders. Well, they have done nothing about it. Not one thing about it. So that is why it is time to plan for the future and change.\u201d<\/p>\n
The deputy leader of Sinn F\u00e9in said she takes threats by the Provisional IRA against her seriously but she will \u201ckeep doing what she is doing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms O\u2019Neill said earlier this month that the PSNI has informed her that dissident republicans are planning an attack against her and Gerry Kelly.<\/p>\n
Speaking at Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s public meeting in Dublin, she said: \u201cOf course I take these threats seriously. That\u2019s a threat against me and my family, so of course you\u2019re going to be very worried about those things.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re human\u2026 and I would say this. We will be returning to work because we have a job to do and have to make things better for people and we will keep doing what we are doing.\u201d<\/p>\n