If being British and wanting to live under the Union Jack still means as much to the people of Northern Ireland as it did for their forefathers, then they will have to make the same determined stand, writes Observer.

The decision of the Democratic Unionist Party to share power with Sinn Fein will not affect the long-term goal of the latter, to do their utmost to bring about a united Ireland.

That was made clear by speakers at Easter Rising commemoration meetings, with Martin McGuinness reported as saying the countdown is under way for a United Ireland.

No-one in Protestant Ulster should be under any illusions. All sensible and right-thinking people will hope that the agreement will mean the permanent end of the 'armed struggle' and the bid by republicans to impose a united Ireland on the majority within Northern Ireland.

But, even if that welcome situation does exist, it will not affect the resolve and the determination on the part of Sinn Fein to bring about a united Ireland as quickly as possible.

It would be a big mistake to think otherwise, and Orangemen will certainly not be complacent on this vital issue.

Sinn Fein will not abandon its goal of a united Ireland and will work unceasingly to try and achieve this.

It is imperative that all who treasure Northern Ireland's position within the United Kingdom, and the freedoms enjoyed under the Union Jack, must be as resolved to ensure that a united Ireland does not come about.

In the aftermath of the DUP-Sinn Fein accord, there were some influential people interviewed in the media who declared that a united Ireland would happen "sometime in the future".

They did not set a likely date, and in the case of one man, he felt that it would happen when Roman Catholics became the majority in Northern Ireland.

But he did make the point that even if the pro-British population formed 49 per cent of the population of Northern Ireland, it was of such a size that it could not be ignored.

Well, there have been predictions since the state of Northern Ireland was established that a Roman Catholic majority would come about.

It hasn't happened, and the most recent census showed that the birth rates of Roman Catholics and Protestants were now more or less the same.

There has, of course, been a large influx of ethnic workers into Northern Ireland in recent times, a large proportion of them from mainly Roman Catholic countries. But there is little evidence of many of them wanting to get involved in the politics of this country.

The onus is on all loyalists, including members of the Orange Order, to be on the alert, and work unceasingly to keep Northern Ireland within the British family of nations.

A united Ireland is certainly not inevitable, and will not become so if everyone who wants Ulster to remain British continues to stand up and be counted.

There must be the same hunger on the part of unionists to remain British as exists on the republican side. Unionists must be as ardent in their determination to remain British as their forefathers who sacrificed so much for the cause have been down the years.

Most importantly, the unionist people must vote at election time, and on the same scale as republican voters. If the Unionist vote in the recent election, especially in the east of the Province had been on the same scale as the predominately nationalist west, then the overall pro-Union vote would have been much more decisive.

There are likely to be increased calls for a Border referendum to be held, as the republican-nationalist community senses the opportunity to prove there is a majority in favour of ending the Union and taking Northern Ireland out of the United Kingdom.

If, and when a Border poll is held, then it is absolutely essential that all people who want to remain British cast their vote. Unionism has only to lose once in votes on whether Northern Ireland remains within the UK and it will mean the end of the all-important British link - the link which guarantees Protestantism and unionism in Northern Ireland.

Republicanism and nationalism will never drop their aspiration for a united Ireland, and it is vital that Unionists of whatever hue recognise this and make their stand for the Union by voting, and doing all they can to make the case for Northern Ireland to remain British.