Well,it's that time again!As elections are around the corner,it seems Sinn Fein have already begun to set their stall out.I read on Slugger O'Toole that Gerry Adams has hit out at southern parties and called for a Green Paper on Irish unity which is top of the party's ten-point plan for Irish unity.The plan can be viewed here and includes the following points:

• A Green Paper for Irish Unity in the Dail
• Attendance in the Dail for the 18 Westminster MPs
• Northern representation in the Seanad
• Votes for citizens in the six counties in Presidential elections
• Building the work of the All-Ireland Ministerial Council
• An All-Ireland Consultative Forum
• An All-Ireland Charter of Rights
• Integrated services and infrastructure along the border
• Increased action,co-operation and harmonisation in Health,Education and other key departments
• Extension of the Irish passport scheme across the six counties

I must admit that I do not object to any of these proposals and indeed if you read my post on what an Irish government should do to pave the way for Irish unity,you will see that many of my proposals are the same as Sinn Fein's proposals.Incidentally my post on what I would advocate can be viewed here.What I propose though,which Sinn Fein do not,is for:

• An ambassador to be established for southern unionists
• The right for Irish people to be able to class themselves as Irish and British if they should want to
• For the Republic to take a more active role in Rememberance celebrations honouring those Irish people who fought in wars for Britian and for celebrations to take place on an all-Ireland basis
• For sport,particularly football,to be on an All-Ireland level
• An All-Ireland police force
• Regular meetings with the monarchy
• Ireland to rejoin the Commonwealth

While Sinn Fein have some good ideas they only cater towards the nationalist community but one shouldn't be too surprised at this since Sinn Fein are blinded by their own ideology and are strangled by their own history.While Sinn Fein have some good ideas,ultimately they have no desire to reach out to those of a unionist tradition which is what is needed if unity is to occur.Sinn Fein's proposals amount to nothing more than making northern nationalists feel more Irish.That's all well and good-but it doesn't remove the border...