BILLY KELLEHER HAS said Fianna Fáil should be heading up efforts towards Irish unity rather than “The Shinners” as he admitted that Fianna Fáil is facing a “demographic cliff edge” of those who support the party.

Kelleher, an MEP for Ireland South, was speaking at the party’s annual Eamon De Valera Commemoration in Ennis in Co Clare earlier today.

Addressing attendees, Kelleher spoke at length about De Valera and his role in Irish society, sharing that he felt the former head of state had been villainised by revisionist academics.

“No person since has commanded the same respect and loyalty from the Irish people in the way De Valera did. Moreover, it is likely that no one ever will again.

“However, De Valera was not a mythical, unicorn-like being,” Kelleher said. “Eamon De Valera was in reality a practical patriot with flaws like the rest of us.”

He segued into proclaiming that he remains a strong supporter of the reunification of Ireland – and reminded attendees that the party was founded upon this goal.

“As a Fianna Fáil member since the late 1980s, I always thought it was a given if I am being honest,” he said, adding that the decision to call a border poll lies with the Secretary of State of Northern Ireland, rather than the Dáil or the Oireachtas.

He continued: “Failing to prepare for a United Ireland, and having the answers to the legitimate questions people, north and south, will stymy our chances of winning a Border Poll.

“If we don’t take the leadership role in convincing people, north and south of the merits of a United, Shared Ireland, who will?

“The Shinners? They are simply too divisive for over 50% of the people of the North. I am not seeking to diminish their mandate in the north of Ireland.

“However, if the objective is to win a Border Poll, then we need to put out best foot forward, and to my mind, that is not allowing Sinn Féin lead the campaign for unity.”

He said Fianna Fáil must be willing to take on a leadership role in preparing for unity. Over the past number of years, as Sinn Féin repeatedly called for a border poll by 2030, government leaders – and former leaders – have warmed to the idea.

Former Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar said earlier this year he would sacrifice two years of economic growth to achieve a united Ireland.

Kelleher also said in his speech today that it was his belief that Fianna Fáil has moved away from a wide section of its grassroots supporters, and said the party must reconnect with its grassroots supporters and reach out to young people.

“Fianna Fáil has never been the party of the landed or business classes. Be very proud of this fact, a chairde,” he said. “Fianna Fáil must return to being a party that represents all strata of Irish society.”

Kelleher’s fighting words today come as the party prepares for a delay in the delivery of its internal review into its disastrous presidential campaign. The review, originally planned to be delivered on Wednesday, is expected to be pushed out again. 

Several party TDs told The Journal prior to the party’s admission of a potential delay that they feared the review could be pushed out closer to Christmas, with one TD saying it was their understanding that party leader Micheál Martin, who has been in Brazil at COP30, has yet to be interviewed.