Mother of God: Line of Duty's Ted proposes Government assembly in Cork 

Well, Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey.

Many Corkonians have long felt their native city is the real capital of Ireland and now one of TV's most famous faces has suggested Cork should indeed be a seat of Government. 

Veteran Irish actor Adrian Dunbar is best known for his portrayal of Superintendent Ted Hastings in gripping crime drama Line of Duty.

The Fermanagh native was interviewed by the Irish Times as part of a feature on ideas for a new Ireland - asking public figures to imagine the Ireland they would like to see in the next 100 years. 

"In 100 years and much less I expect Ireland to be unified and at peace with herself," Mr Dunbar said. 

"Irish unification and freedom after hundreds of years is in our DNA, it is in effect a big part of who we have become to ourselves and the world." 

Assembly in Cork 

Mr Dunbar sees regional assemblies - naturally including one in Cork - as the way forward. 

"Being a lover of Irish rugby, I am leaning towards a federal or provincial approach to unification," he said. 

"The cities of Cork and Galway are both at exciting stages of development and primed for regional assemblies." 

Mr Dunbar, who didn't float up the Lagan in a bubble, has it all thought out. 

"Belfast would of course run Ulster from Stormont and perhaps with the Leinster regional base in Kilkenny; Dublin would remain the focus of all our ire," he suggested.