Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said that Ireland must prepare for a possible vote on the reunification of Northern Ireland. She called for preparations for a possible border poll, the term used for the process of deciding on unification.
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham insists that the issue of reunification is “not on the table”. The question of such a vote is contentious in both the United Kingdom and Ireland, which are co‑guarantors of the 1990s peace agreement. That agreement largely ended sectarian violence between British unionists and Irish nationalists in Northern Ireland.
Conditions for holding a vote and public opinion
A vote can only be called by the UK Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if it “appears likely” that a majority of the region’s population would support reunification. This is provided for under the Good Friday Agreement.
Support for Irish reunification in Northern Ireland is growing, particularly among young voters. However, recent polls indicate that there is not yet a clear majority in favour of unification.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martín, who leads Fianna Fáil—the coalition partner of Fine Gael—recently said that talks about unity “drive him mad”. According to him, public support for holding such a vote is still insufficient.
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband told journalists in Wicklow, where he was attending a meeting as a guest: “We strongly support the Good Friday Agreement.” He declined to comment on McEntee’s statements.
According to South China Morning Post
