Michael D Higgins insists he is President of Ireland, refuses to commemorate partition

But the Constitution does not just aspire to unity, the cavaet is that must be the democratic expression of the majority of people, on that point they concluded the Constitution compels the Government to hold a referendum to allow unity if the people in NI vote for such, that is how they show the aspiration of the people here:-

And even if such a challenge is successful we still need a referendum to actually amend the Constitution, from the final report:-

I can't see any Court challenge finding any other way, the Constitution specifically states the consent of people to a united Ireland must be "democratically expressed" both North and South, it is clear, how else do you show the democratic wish of people without a vote? You don't.

It can't be said a democratic will can be shown by any means other than a vote, anyone who attempts to make that argument is simply arguing for the sake of arguing.

The GFA says nothing about the Irish state choosing or not choosing to accept that the will of the people in NI want to be part of the UK

Why are you taking the extreme view of Republican SF? Do you not denounce dissidents?

It notes the form of consent is not specified in the GFA, but, it is in the Constitution, via a democratic majority, the Constitution requires the majority to be shown by a democratic way under Article 3 - a vote.

No, you mean by 'projecting'.

You are projecting in the absence of any text.

Challenged by whom and where?

It would be a very foolish person who would challenge that.

Projecting that NI is part of the United Kingdom?

# Looks out window and sees British Army stationed in Northern Ireland.....

Yeap, Northern Ireland is still part of the United Kingdom.

Projecting that we as a state or people have 'accepted' partition.

Looks out window...sees nothing to affirm that.

thats fairly delusional now francie you may as well deny the nose on your face

fact is we are a lot better off in the south with out the mess that the north is . and the fact that your sf is making it worse does not inspire confidence in any change going forward

The GFA doesn't agree on how partition will end, the GFA sets out that partition is here to stay and accepted by the people of Ireland unless the people of Northern Ireland decide otherwise. In other words it sets out how partition might end at some undefined point in the future, in a way that has nothing to do with us.

Wrong again.

It will end at a very defined point - when a majority vote for it. Only one set of people angling to change that or stop it with super majorities, denial of any talk of preparing for a border poll or presenting a plan for unity etc.

And the GFA does agree on how partition will end - when the two sovereign government respond to their committments below:

You can apply 'if' to continuance of the Union too.

You stated something that was wholly wrong again.

Unity will happen at a defined point - when there is a majority for it.

And the way of ending it has also been agreed - by both governments 'presenting and supporting' legislation to give effect to it.

I don't deny that partition might end, that is provided for in the GFA, I am 100% clear on that. However, it is a remote possibility.

Nevertheless, whether the GFA requires a majority in the North, a vote in the Stormont Assembly, or five men in a pub in Belfast deciding it, none of those mechanisms change the fact that we in the South, through the GFA have accepted partition.

Let's be clear. The acceptance of partition is like a trainline from Dublin to Cork. It is travelling from Dublin to Cork and everyone accepts that it will continue to do so. Of course, it is possible that with a huge amount of upheaval, the trainline might be moved to that it travels to Monaghan instead. But when you are considering taking a train, you don't talk about taking a train if it travels to Cork or Monaghan, you talk about taking a train to Cork because it is accepted that is where the train is going.

Similarly, we accept that partition is there. Sure people can speculate about removing partition or building a trainline to Monaghan, and there is a process so that either could theoretically happen, but that doesn't take away from the fact that we have accepted that there is a trainline to Cork or that we have accepted partition.

Yes the GFA does deal how partition will end. By the GFA Both the north and south of Ireland have to agree on it. One agreeing with out the other is not enough.

Only the people of Ireland have a say. People of Britain don't have a say. Do you at least acknowledge that from the GFA?

The GFA did not create partition it had factually happened 70 years beforehand. The GFA has two important parts regarding the endof partition. Only people of Ireland get to decide on it and should they decide there can be no more gerrymandering to create a new Norther Ireland boundary plugged out of somebodies hole like 1921.