5 March 2026
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP has said that a single Irish state offers the strongest opportunity to unlock the economic potential of a New Ireland.
She was speaking at the launch of the SDLP’s 'Success by Design – Preparing for a New Ireland' policy paper at the Merrion Hotel in Dublin on Thursday morning.
South Belfast and Mid Down MP Claire Hanna said:
“There are enormous economic opportunities in both the North and South of this island, but to realise them we must address the challenges we share.
“A New Ireland cannot simply be about absorbing one system into another. It must be carefully designed to raise living standards across the island and to unlock Northern Ireland’s unrealised potential as a contributor to a stronger and more resilient economy. Northern Ireland’s current position is not fixed. With sustained investment and deeper cooperation, we can create better jobs, stronger communities and real opportunity for people across this island.
“Northern Ireland has changed profoundly in recent decades, yet for many the peace dividend has never arrived. Poverty remains too high, wages lag behind and political instability has held us back. In the South, strong economic growth has not prevented serious pressures in housing, infrastructure and regional balance.
“The SDLP believes that a single Irish state would provide the best means to achieve the economic benefits of a New Ireland. While any future settlement must consider a range of different factors, command consent and broad support and be inclusive of our diverse traditions and culture, the economic evidence shows that strategic alignment and long-term planning give us the best chance of the optimum economic model.
“This paper sets out practical steps we can take to benefit the all-island economy here and now, including a joint all-island infrastructure fund, stronger rail and transport links, better alignment of skills systems and a targeted graduate return scheme to reverse brain drain. It also outlines the preparatory work required for our aspiration to build a New Ireland, including independent economic assessment, coordinated investment planning and empowering local government to drive balanced regional growth.
“This work is essential not only to building a New Ireland, but to building a better Northern Ireland along the way and tackling the real pressures people face in their daily lives. We won’t be able to answer every question about what the future will look like but we need to start having those conversations now. That’s why the SDLP has brought forward serious proposals around a Ministry for a New Ireland in the Irish Government and an economic vision that allows us to take those important next steps.
“This paper is an invitation to plan responsibly, to think boldly and to build an economy that works for everyone who calls this island home. The SDLP is ready to realise that ambition and work with others to make it a reality.”
You can access the full Success by Design paper here.