Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has said his party will continue to make the case for special status for the North in the EU as he rejected unionist suspicions that Sinn Féin's position on Brexit is more about weakening the union.
Speaking ahead of a book signing in west Belfast on Saturday afternoon Mr Adams told reporters "we are not trying to exploit this issue, it's too big an issue". "We are always about weakening the position in the union, that shouldn't come as any surprise to anyone but we are not trying to exploit this issue, it's too big an issue," he said. "I have made it clear that Brexit is a huge threat to the economies north and south, and to rights north and south.
“What we have to do in terms of peoples rights and in terms of making sure people have a decent standard of living is focus in on that.
“The issue of Irish unity, that has to be the big challenge for us to persuade people who don’t want Irish unity that that’s the best option. And we are very confident about being able to do that.”
Mr Adam believes a Border poll is "very winnable" and he wants to see this won for stability and harmony in the time ahead. "Nearly everyone recognises, with the exception of the English Tories — and even they have had to softened their thoughts — and elements of the DUP, that an all island approach, whatever the constitutional position, is the best approach.
“Everything is impossible until its done. We are up for that and we want to see that happening.”
His party, he argues, is focusing on the debate around these issues and noted Brexit had informed people of the difficulties and the dangers of Brexit. Sinn Féin believes “special status” for the North, remaining in the customs union and the single market, is the solution. “We don’t care what it is called,” he said.
“That’s what we have set out as the best practical arrangement and that’s still very, very doable in the next few years.”
He rejected the suggestion that Sinn Féin has been caught out by how well the Irish Government have handled the Brexit negotiations so far, explaining he set out in the Dáil weeks ago to Mr Varadkar how he "genuinely support him and we have been doing that" but as an opposition party it will hold the Government to account. "There are decent bits to this (phase one text)," he said. "There are other bits which there is an ambiguity about but we need to remind ourselves this isn't the deal.
“This simply the measurement by which it has been moved to the next phase. “So all the outstanding issues still need to be hammered out and we will be very vigilant and we will keep the Taoiseach to to account.”
He does not agree with Labour Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer's view that the "DUP tail is wagging the Tory dog".
“I don’t think so but let me say this, I listened to what the British prime minister said yesterday about the union. I listen to unionist leaders every day about the union. They seem to have a bit of a lack of security, complex.
“They shouldn’t take umbrage at those of us who are United Irelanders also see that as our best option.
“It is going to be done peacefully, and its going to be done democratically.”
Unionist politicians have railed against the Irish Government, with the DUP accusing the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste of being “aggressive” in their stance.
DUP leader Arlene has taken exception to Simon Coveney recently saying he would like to see a united Ireland in his political lifetime.
Mr Adams does not see why any unionist should take umbrage at an Irish government minister saying this, “especially given the way they are looking for reassurance every second day from the British government and even in terms of their leadership via statements”.
He has noticed a change in approach taken by the current Irish Government compared to the previous administration but says he would like to think this is because “Sinn Féin are in the Dáil keeping them to account” and because they have seen the increase in the votes for his party in the North.
“We don’t just want to see a united Ireland in our political lifetime,” he said. “We are working for it and that is what we want to see Simon Coveney doing.”
The North has been without government since the late Martin McGuinness collapsed Stormont in January over the DUP's handling of a botched green energy scheme and other matters. On the prospect of fresh Stormont talks Mr Adams said that was a question for the DUP as they have an "ongoing refusal and rejection to implement rights".
