Tánaiste Simon Harris asks parties across Ireland to weigh in on unity blueprint

The tánaiste has written to political parties on both sides of the Irish border asking for their views on Fine Gael's proposals for preparing for a united Ireland. Simon Harris wants feedback on the plans and on areas that may need "further consideration", according to the letter seen by BBC News NI. He told recipients that no single party owns the debate over the island's future.

Fine Gael's blueprint suggests appointing a junior minister in the Irish government to handle "north south relations" and setting up a forum on Irish unity. The party also published a document by an economist who advises Harris, which put the first-year cost of reunification at somewhere between about €3bn (£2.5bn) and €25bn (£20.8bn) for the Irish exchequer.

The move follows the Taoiseach's decision days earlier to circulate a document to his Fianna Fáil parliamentary party setting out his own thinking on how to get ready for a united Ireland.

In Northern Ireland, the letter went to DUP leader Gavin Robinson, UUP leader Jon Burrows, SDLP leader Claire Hanna, TUV leader Jim Allister and Alliance leader Naomi Long. In the republic, it was sent to the Taoiseach, Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald, Aontú's Peadar Tóibín, Labour's Ivana Bacik, Social Democrats acting leader Cian O'Callaghan, Independent Ireland's Michael Collins, the Green Party's Roderic O'Gorman and Richard Boyd-Barrett of People Before Profit.

Harris wrote that the conversation must be "inclusive", evidence-informed and "grounded firmly in the Good Friday Agreement and the principle of consent". He added: "There will be differing views and difficult conversations, but complexity cannot become an excuse for inaction." He said he hoped parties would receive the report in the constructive and respectful spirit intended.