Border poll conditions 'have to be discussed' - Taoiseach

The conditions for calling a border poll in Northern Ireland cannot simply be left to political soundbites, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said before meeting British Prime Minister Andy Burnham later this month.

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The conditions for calling a border poll is an issue that has to be discussed.

Martin said issues relating to Northern Ireland would be on the agenda for the meeting. Burnham faced criticism after saying during a visit to Belfast that discussions on a border poll were “off the table.” He later clarified that he meant the day’s engagements and reaffirmed his commitment to the Good Friday Agreement.

Speaking at his party’s think-in in County Offaly, Martin said the future should be shaped through reconciliation and stronger practical links between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. He said the 1998 agreement succeeded because the British and Irish governments worked with political parties and traditions across the island.

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The future has to be determined in that spirit and in that approach.

Under the agreement, the Northern Ireland secretary can decide to hold a border poll and must call one if it appears likely that a majority would vote for Irish unity. Asked whether he would discuss the conditions with Burnham, Martin said he did not want to pre-empt the meeting. He added that the agreement had perhaps deliberately left the issue vague.

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Unity would be the best outcome.

Martin said unity would be “the best outcome,” but declined to attach dates to it. He also argued that republicanism extends beyond a border poll and involves uniting Protestant, Catholic and centrist communities. He warned against being drawn into campaigns designed to satisfy political bases in the short term, saying political agreements do not emerge from an “our way or the highway” approach.

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We’re not going to be browbeaten in by various motions or calls for this or a call for that.