'DUP Warns Against All-Ireland Economy', Statement by Gregory Campbell (DUP), (26 October 2006)

'DUP Warns Against All-Ireland Economy', Statement by Gregory Campbell, then DUP MP, (26 October 2006)

"The DUP believes in co-operation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland that is benefit to our Province and must be practically not politically motivated.

What we in the DUP though will be saying to Dublin is that if your understanding of this arrangement is that this money is designed to build up an all-Ireland economy, we are not going there. But what we will do is work with you in developing the concept of two adjoining countries who want to build up the structures of both countries.

The DUP believes in building up the East-West axis. Those who are fascinated with purely focusing upon the relationship between Northern Ireland and the Republic are missing the big picture. Northern Ireland’s economic best interests are self-evidently with remaining as part of the world’s 4th largest economy and market of 60 million people in the United Kingdom and on into the European Union and beyond, not with the small economy of only 4 million people in the south. Whilst there are many outstanding issues which must be addressed before devolution can be restored, if devolution does return, then DUP Ministers will be dedicating themselves to enhancing the East-West axis.

The DUP has also been insistent that co-operation on a North/South basis must be accountable to the people of Northern Ireland through their elected representative sin the Assembly. We will not accept the sort of unaccountable all-Ireland structures that the UUP gave breath to in the Belfast Agreement.

If co-operation between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic is the same as co-operation between other states elsewhere in the world and there is clear delineation between our two countries, then we have no problem. We are not prepared to consider now or ever an all-Ireland embryonic idea."