I welcome the opportunity to contribute on this debate on the financial implications of Irish unity. It is fair to say that it is an important discussion and one that deserves to be approached with seriousness, honesty and respect. Having listened to the majority of the debate, I do not think I heard one voice in favour of partition even though there may be differences of opinion about how we achieve a united Ireland. As Deputy Lahart quite rightly said, I do not believe one-upmanship is going to achieve anything.

As a member of Fianna Fáil, I am proud to stand in a republican tradition that has always believed in the unity of our people and our island. Our approach has always been grounded in pragmatism and building step by step the conditions that make progress real, sustainable and inclusive. If unity is to mean anything, it must work for all the people on the island. It must work economically, socially and politically.

Quite often, personal experience influences our views and our perceptions of life. My maternal grandfather fought in the First World War and were it not for the pension paid into that house, my mother would not have had the quality of life that she enjoyed. My mother was shaped by the experience and always had a deeply positive view of the UK. That being said, I was raised in a house where Fianna Fáil was consistently supported. We are a party in our 100th year and have played a central role in some of formative issues of our time such as our Constitution, our entry into the EU, the role of Albert Reynolds in the Downing Street Declaration and the Good Friday Agreement, something we were fully committed to realising the full potential of.

However, I am also very mindful that personal experience works both ways, and while our view in our house was shaped positively, that is not the case for many people who grew up around checkpoints, internment, brutality and collusion, so we should approach this debate conscious of the many traditions that exist on this island and the fear on both sides of the divide that some of those traditions could be eroded as we look to unity. Only last weekend, I had the honour of representing the Taoiseach at the commemoration of those who had lost their lives at the Battle of the Somme. The presence of the deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland was a very positive development. I understand that it was the first time she was present in Dublin for that commemoration. The commemoration reminded me that nationalists and unionists fought side by side in several conflicts. That shared history matters and must shape how we think about our shared future.

If there is one principle we must be clear on, it is that unity cannot be built on numbers alone. It cannot be simply about the outcome of a referendum or a financial principle. It must be built on consent, reassurance and trust. In particular, trust among those in the unionist community will not be secured through slogans. It can be secured through reassurance, actions and compromise. Deputy Lahart indicated some of the compromises that may need to be considered.

From a financial perspective, we need to look for clarity. Some fundamental questions need to be addressed. What would happen to public services? How would taxation be structured? What would pensions look like? How would we ensure economic stability during any transition? The results vary depending on which report one looks at. DCU and Ulster University talked about a cost of €3 billion per annum to the Irish State. In 2024, the Institute of International and European Affairs presented a much more pessimistic outlook and talked about €20 billion. In 2024, my own Department spoke about a deficit of £7 billion. While many will view these as barriers so as to delay and misinform, we need to realise that our island has overcome its fair share of barriers in the past and we have the capacity to overcome any barriers in the future. What we should be looking at are the opportunities that a united Ireland presents. The Tánaiste outlined some of them in his contribution.

In my role as Minister of State in the Department of Finance, I recently had a courtesy engagement with the Minister of Finance in Northern Ireland. While unity was not the subject of the meeting, what it did show was that there was real scope for practical co-operation and working together in ways that could build trust, potentially align systems and improve outcomes for people across this island. One such area we looked at was a potential all-Ireland trade mission in relation to financial services. We also looked at a joint initiative in relation to financial literacy for the benefit of both sides of the Border. That kind of steady, practical collaboration is not a distraction from the bigger question. Rather, it is how we prepare for it.

This preparation is not new. The Taoiseach's shared island initiative, which looks to bring communities together and break down those barriers, has been highly influential and positive. It has laid the groundwork that will be vital as we embrace this discussion and as the discussion evolves. It is the largest ever programme of all-island investment and co-operation with all traditions of our island.

If we are serious about unity - I believe we all are - we must be equally serious about preparation. That includes asking the difficult but necessary questions, including about the role of the UK in supporting any transition, whether financial contributions over a defined period would form part of any agreement and how the EU could be involved from a geographical enlargement perspective. While these are complex matters, avoiding does not make them go away.

If unity is to be credible, it must be planned and properly resourced. Today's debate is welcome in that regard.

It must be about protecting living standards and supporting enterprise and investment and it must ensure no community, North or South, feels left behind. We must also raise the level of financial literacy on this issue. People deserve to know and understand not just the aspiration but the implication for their livelihoods, public services and future.

Transparency is something I have tried to foster during my term as Minister of State in the Department of Finance. People expect it and are savvy enough to find it themselves. We cannot operate in a silo; we need to be open and engaged across the entire spectrum of this issue. There is an old saying, and I heard it mentioned earlier today, fail to prepare, prepare to fail. If unity is to succeed it will not be because certain people demanded it but it will be because it was prepared for in a careful, responsible, and inclusive manner, in a way that respects all traditions on this island, builds trust and ensures the right economic foundations are laid and strong enough to sustain it.

That concludes statements on the fiscal implications of a united Ireland. This was a very interesting, cohesive debate.