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The coronavirus pandemic and Brexit have made Irish unity part of \u201cevery day conversation\u201d, the Sinn F\u00e9in president has said.<\/p>\nThe coronavirus pandemic and Brexit have made Irish unity part of \u201cevery day conversation\u201d, the Sinn F\u00e9in president has said.<\/p>\n
Expressing her concern at how Ireland may emerge from the health crisis, Mary Lou McDonald said work should start towards unification.<\/p>\n
\u201cBrexit and Covid-19 have made Irish unity part of every day conversation,\u201d she said in an online message.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrowing our economy, protecting our health service, strengthening our agriculture require an all Ireland approach.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo now is the time to progress this journey together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms McDonald referred to a \u201ccritical time\u201d in efforts to control the spread of the virus and blasted \u201cmixed messages\u201d from government causing \u201chuge confusion and anxiety\u201d in people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n
She said the pandemic \u201chasn\u2019t dampened the appetite for change\u201d, adding \u201cif anything, it has strengthened it\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need a change and fairness like we have never needed them before,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNext month\u2019s budget must be the first step to put things right. We must fix housing and healthcare, we must fix education and our economy and we must plan for the reunification of our country.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is what I would be focused on if I were Taoiseach.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile an opinion poll commissioned by the Sunday Times has indicated a slight increase in support for Sinn F\u00e9in and Fine Gael.<\/p>\n
A survey of more than 900 voters over 12 days to last Tuesday found support for Fine Gael is up one point to 30%, support for Sinn F\u00e9in is up two points to 32% and support for Fianna F\u00e1il has fallen by one point to 19%.<\/p>\n
The Irish general election earlier this year saw Fianna F\u00e1il emerge as the largest party with 38 seats, slightly ahead of Sinn F\u00e9in with 37 seats while Fine Gael got 35 seats in the D\u00e1il.<\/p>\n
The Sunday Times poll also indicated that the Greens are down one point to 5%, while Labour remains unchanged at 3%.<\/p>\n
The Social Democrats are unchanged at 1%, while Solidarity\/People Before Profit also remain at 1%.<\/p>\n
Support for Independents is put at 9% \u2013 which is also unchanged.<\/p>\n