Irish minister says there ‘will be a border poll’ on united Ireland in futureHelen McEntee made her remarks after Prime Minister Andy Burnham was criticised for stating that a referendum on a united Ireland was ‘off the table’.Helen McEntee was speaking at an informal gathering of EU foreign affairs ministers (Ireland2026eu/PA)PA MediaCate McCurry2 minutes ago
Ireland’s foreign affairs minister said there “will be a border poll” on a united Ireland at some stage in the future.
Helen McEntee made the comments after Prime Minister Andy Burnham was criticised last week when, during a visit to Belfast, he told media that a referendum on a united Ireland was “off the table”.
But asked about the comments in the House of Commons on Tuesday, Mr Burnham pledged to “stick 100% to the Good Friday Agreement”.
Speaking at the informal gathering of EU foreign affairs ministers in Co Wicklow on Wednesday, Ms McEntee said “we need to be prepared” for a border poll.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledged in the House of Commons on Tuesday to ‘stick 100% to the Good Friday Agreement’ (Stefan Rousseau/PA)PA Wire
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, who was also in attendance at the event in Druids Glen, refused to be drawn on the comments, but said that the British Government stood by the Good Friday Agreement.
“I’m not going to comment on that today. I’m here to talk about other matters,” he told reporters.
“We are strong supporters of the Good Friday Agreement, we stand by the Good Friday Agreement.”
When asked about Mr Burnham’s comments, Ms McEntee said: “In relation to the border poll, I’ve been very clear and my own party in particular have been very clear – we need to be prepared for this.
“There is a prerogative for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland but it is for the people of Northern Ireland to decide this and it is only where there is a view that there may be a majority that we should move forward on this.
“In saying that, that’s why we are working on a blueprint within our own party to make sure that when the time comes, that we are ready, that we are ready to answer and to engage on the different questions and the different possible outcomes of a border poll or a referendum.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, who was also in attendance at the event in Druids Glen, refused to be drawn on Mr Burnham’s earlier comments (Jonathan Brady/PA)PA Archive
“But look, that work continues as to how we continue to bring people together. The Shared Island Unit, the Shared Island Fund, these are really important and have shown over recent years how we can bring communities together.
“I believe that’s what our focus needs to be, while I do think accepting that in the future we will have a border poll at some stage.”
Ms McEntee’s Fine Gael party leader and the Irish deputy premier also cautioned that “people could read too much into” Mr Burnham’s comments.
Simon Harris said: “Is it really a shock that the UK Government isn’t planning on having a border poll in the here and now? No.
“He said it perhaps in a different way to how it had been expressed before – and in fairness to both him and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, I think they provided further kind of context and clarification.”
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Mr Harris said he would “never doubt” the Prime Minister’s commitment to the Good Friday Agreement.
Mr Burnham met young people at the music venue the Oh Yeah Centre before going on to meet First Minister Michelle O’Neill, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly and the Stormont parties at the Culloden Hotel.
His first official visit to Northern Ireland came as the parties have continued to fail to agree a budget for the region for this financial year, arguing they need more funding from London.
When asked by the media whether he would be “the man at Number 10 to press the button for a border poll”, Mr Burnham said he was there “to listen and take a collaborative approach”.
But he said: “Some issues will be off the table, and that is one issue that will be off the table.”
Pressed further, he said because he “wanted to focus on bringing people together”.
The remarks drew an angry response from nationalist politicians, with Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald stating that no prime minister has the right to “high-handedly” remove the provision for a unity referendum from the Good Friday Agreement.
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Andy BurnhamNorthern IrelandEd MilibandSecretary of StateHouse Of Commons