Conor Murphy believes a referendum on Irish unity can happen within the next five years.
The Stormont economy minister was speaking as he was announced as one of six Sinn Féin’s candidates to run in the Republic’s forthcoming Seanad elections, for which polling takes place between now and January 30.
Mr Murphy told The Irish News that the decision which would potentially see him quit as an MLA and a minister, if elected, was his solely and that his aim was to advance preparations for a border poll and Irish unity.
“Reunification and constitutional change has been the primary purpose of my involvement in politics since it was a teenager,” he said.
The Sinn Féin chief negotiator and Newry and Armagh MLA, who served as the constituency’s MP for a decade up to 2015, said he wanted to bring a “northern perspective” to the “intensifying” debate around Irish unity.
“I think almost all parties in the recent Dáil election committed in their manifestos to a more intensive and more structured approach in terms of their preparations for unity,” he said.
“Certainly, if I am elected, I alongside my Oireachtas colleagues would intend to hold them to account in relation to that. This is not a time for putting your head in the sand, this is a time that the debate is happening all around us.”
The 61-year-old from Camlough in south Armagh insisted his decision was unrelated to a mini-stroke in May which forced him to take a short period of sick leave.
He said the Seanad was a full-time position and that he didn’t take jobs in politics to be “half hearted or for an easy ride”.
“So I intend to give this my full commitment,” he said.
The economy minister said the circumstances under which Niall Ó Donnghaile, Sinn Féin’s former leader in the Seanad, resigned a year ago and which it later emerged he had sent inappropriate text messages, were not a consideration in his decision to run for election.
“All parties at times deal with difficulties in terms of their members – we’re not unique in that regard,” he said.
Mr Murphy said he believed there could be a border poll before the end of the decade.
“Things in politics can move very, very quickly and unexpectedly,” he said.
“I don’t think too many people in Berlin in 1988 were predicting the fall of the wall in ‘89 so we can never set times or dates – things can to take their own momentum – but yes, it is entirely doable within this decade.”
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said Mr Murphy’s candidacy underscored her party’s “commitment to representing the entire island of Ireland, promoting the all-Ireland economy and advancing the Irish unity debate in the Oireachtas”.
“Our goal is to ensure the voices of ordinary people across Ireland are heard in Leinster House,” she said.
“We will continue to have the backs of families, workers, and communities on critical issues, not least the housing crisis.”
Ms McDonald said Mr Murphy would continue serving as an MLA and executive minister until the Seanad election concluded.
“After which we will assess the next steps,” she added.
Sinn Féin’s other Seanad candidates are Pauline Tully, Joanne Collins, Nicole Ryan, Chris Andrews and Maria McCormack.
