Wemadethispointthrough a referendumonthechanginggovernmentatthiscrucialtimeaheadoftheEuropeanCouncilmeetinginMarch.
WhenwedecidetheEuropeannegotiatingpositionextremelyrisky, whenyousee a TDlikeDaisyElliswalkingintothePainCentreyesterday, peopleseeingIraRobertRebelsongsyoudohavetoquestionseriouslyarebringingtheIDandforwardtogetherThereitis a newsenseofIrishpoliticalpower.
NowShinfeignsleaderMaryLouMcDonaldisin a preeminentpositionandshehastostarttoaddressthoseveryquestionsformyvision.
Butyou'respeakingtotheBBC a coupleofhoursago, sayingthathethinksthattheresultthiselectionmeansin a borderpollismorelikelyinthenorth.
Isthatright?
I thinkinanyeventwe'reheadingtowardsahboardreport a referendumonunity.
I thinkthat's justthedirectionoftravelhomebecauseofhiselection.
Well, it's certainlythisaddstous.
But I thinkevenasidefromtheelectionyouhavebrakesisyouhavechangingdemographics.
I thinktheEuropeanUnionneedstotake a standinrespectofIrelandinthesamewaythatitsupportedthereunificationofGermanyinthesamewaythatithas a positiononCyprus, forexample, on a positiveapproachtothereunificationofthatcountry.
Inyourview, I thinkitisnodifferent.
Yes, I thinkitwouldbecorrectforourallies, forourfriends, foranybodywhocaresaboutthiscountryandourpeople.
Itisplaintoseethepartitionanddivisionhasbeen a disaster.
I wouldsaythatpeopleshouldtakeheartfromthefactthattheconflictisover, thatwenowhave a peaceful, stabledispensationonthisisland.
I thinkitneedstobesaidalsothattherearesomanypeoplewholiveontheislandofBritain, butinEnglandinparticular, whoaregreatsupportersandfriendsofIrelandon a virusunity.
Don't expecttoseeinstantchanges.
For a start, theprocessofforming a governmentindoublingcouldtakeweeks, ifnotmonths.
MakenomistakehavingShenFainsodominantacrossIrelandas a permanentfixtureofIrishpoliticsandtheNorthSouthwillandmustaffectthepowerdynamicsacrosstheseislands.