United Ireland countdown 'has begun'

Republican struggle at "end phase" says McGuinness

The countdown to a united Ireland has begun, Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness has told a rally in Ireland commemorating the 86th anniversary of the republican Easter Rising.

The Mid Ulster MP told the gathering of several hundred people in County Donegal that the republican struggle had reached its "end phase".

"I earnestly believe that we have begun the countdown to a united Ireland and are continuing to get that message out as widely as possible," he said.

Adams wants united Ireland proposals

"But Sinn Fein is the only party with the courage to say it out loud and encourage proper management of the transition.

"Denying the obvious will serve no purpose other than give unionists false hope and discourage them from becoming equal partners in the management of that change."

The Stormont education minister called on unionists to abandon "sectarian politics", saying they also had "responsibilities".

He urged them to engage in a debate on a united Ireland "on the basis of factual argument" and to stop stirring their community's "fears and suspicions".

"We believe that together we can make further progress and truly transform society on this island forever," he said.

Proposals call

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams also called on the Irish Government to draw up proposals for a united Ireland, at a rally in Dublin.

"Four score years have passed since a government was established in Dublin and it is incredible that in all of this time we have not even had a discussion Green Paper on the subject," he said.

"Establishment parties have no strategy, no medium and long-term goals, no notion of structures, no economic analysis, no costings, no outline legislative programme.

"What Sinn Fein is about - and what we have been doing in recent months - is setting out our road map to Irish unity and we believe that others should do the same."

The abortive 1916 rising against British rule in Ireland is one of the main dates commemorated in the republican calendar.

Events have been held across the country on Easter Sunday.