Humphreys’ treatment shows unionists not welcome in united Ireland – Robinson

Commentary around presidential candidate Heather Humphreys’ Orange Order heritage shows that unionists would not be welcomed in a united Ireland, DUP leader Gavin Robinson has said.

Mr Robinson also predicted that there would be no constitutional change to Northern Ireland’s status in his lifetime and said continuing discussion about a unity poll created instability.

As she launched her campaign to become Irish president in Co Monaghan at the weekend, Fine Gael candidate Ms Humphreys spoke about her Protestant heritage and attending Orange Order parades as a child.

She also told the event that her husband was not a member of the Orange Order and said that her grandfather had signed the Ulster Covenant in 1912.

Mr Robinson said Ms Humphreys had been “criticised and challenged” during the campaign because of her family’s Orange Order background.

He added: “You tell me that is welcoming?

“You tell me unionists would be accepted when they can’t even accept a former Irish government minister who has Orange heritage.

“I think they need to be very careful about some of the conversations they are having.

“There is this egregious encroachment into the constitutional affairs of Northern Ireland that we have seen from the last president (Michael D Higgins).

“His inability to share, his inability to even turn up at church and recognise that Northern Ireland has been in existence for over 100 years.

“That hasn’t played out well within the hearts and minds of unionists in Northern Ireland.”

Mr Robinson pointed out that the Republic of Ireland had given up its constitutional claim to Northern Ireland in the referendum over the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

He added: “They need to live within that reality rather than continually pushing the boundaries to burnish their green credentials in a way that dissuades and pushes away (their) unionist neighbour across the border.

“They are treating Heather Humphreys with contempt because of her background.

“They don’t highlight the fact that her grandfather signed the Ulster Covenant in a positive way.

“These things aren’t being raised in a positive way, they are not being talked about in a positive glow.

“They are not saying ‘what a wonderful lady because she has Orange heritage’.

“They are saying ‘she is a bit odd, she is one of those nordies, she has a heritage which doesn’t really chime with our happy-go-lucky green credentials’.

“That is why they are doing it and unionists can see it.”

Mr Robinson said he did not believe constitutional change had moved any closer since the 1998 agreement.

He said: “If people want to continue on this path and inject instability in a fundamental way, it is a matter for them.

“When you look at the conditions for a border poll, you have seen not one jot of change in those voting for republicanism or nationalism in Northern Ireland, not one jot of change.

“It has stayed exactly the same over the last 25 years. The conditions aren’t there.

“I don’t think there is going to be constitutional change in my political lifetime or my lifetime.

“We have had republican leader after republican leader saying it is just within grasp but not close enough that they would be responsible for it not happening.

“You have a new crop of leaders saying it is just around the corner, 2030.

“They will not be leading their political parties then come 2030 but we will still be in the United Kingdom, I am comfortable with that.”