By Martin Burns
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has taken a first tentative step towards support for a border poll. He has moved from calling a border poll “bananas” to asking for clarity about the conditions around the “arrangements for the calling of a referendum on Irish unity in Northern Ireland,” I was happily surprised as this was an abrupt change from just six weeks ago when Martin said that that he “goes bananas” when his own party colleagues call for a poll instead of focusing on the Shared Island initiative, which was set up in 2020 and will commit €2 billion to cross-Border projects between now and 2035.”
Reflecting on Martin’s change of heart, the Irish proverb “It’s a long road that has no turning” popped into my head. This proverb has always meant to me that no matter how difficult things appear now, if you keep working and trying to move forward, the road will turn in your favour. Over the last several months, Martin and his Fianna Fáil party seemed like an immovable obstacle on the road to a Border Poll. Calling for clarity on the conditions for a border poll, is admittedly a small step. I would argue that it is a significant crack in the wall that was standing in front of a border poll.
Martin and Fianna Fáil’s movement towards a border poll represents a major step in the discussion of a border poll. Martin’s comments, as tepid as they are, means that Fianna Fáil is joining the conversation about a border poll.
Why did Martin change his position? The reason is simple. He felt the political pressure. Martin may not have seen the light on the need for a border poll, but he has felt the heat and in the political arena heat is a more effective motivator than light.
As unlikely as it seems, we have new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to thank for Fianna Fáil joining the conversation on an Irish border poll. To recap briefly, while on his first visit to Northern Ireland Burnham abruptly dismissed the prospect of a border poll. As the Irish Times reported on August 27:
A Border poll on a united Ireland is “off the table”, Andy Burnham has said on his first visit to Northern Ireland as UK prime minister. “I am here to listen and to collaborate, but some issues will be off the table, and that is one of them,” he said in response to a question from The Irish Times. “I see how referenda can really take you backwards because it turns people in on themselves, and arguing with each other, and cause rifts that take a long, long time to heal.” Instead of a referendum on a united Ireland, politicians should be focusing on issues such as the cost of living, a budget and making people’s lives better, Burnham said.
The backlash to Burnham’s dismissal of a border poll was swift and broad. Those critical of Burnham’s comments, quite understandably, focused on the clear fact that the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement specifically details the criteria for calling a poll. It was this provision of a peaceful and democratic way to achieve Irish unity that helped end the conflict in Northern Ireland. This week Burnham had to clarify his remarks during prime minister’s questions and recommit his support for the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.
Ironically, Burnham’s remarks may have been a major stop on the road to an Irish Border Poll. Martin, for whatever else you think of him, is a politician who can count votes. He knows that his coalition partner, Fine Gael is due to have out a blueprint on Irish Unity to release at its Ard Fheis in November 2026. I certainly do not think that Fine Gael will endorse a Border Poll, but they will have something to say about Irish unity. Fianna Fáil now has something to say, however mild, on an Irish Border Poll. My guess is that right now that Fianna Fáil is thinking what else it can say on Irish unity.
The past several weeks have shown that advocacy can move both a British Prime Minister and an Irish Taoiseach towards the Border Poll envisioned in the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. The task for those who support a Border Poll is to not only keep speaking out, but to turn up the volume.
By Martin Burns
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has taken a first tentative step towards support for a border poll. He has moved from calling a border poll “bananas” to asking for clarity about the conditions around the “arrangements for the calling of a referendum on Irish unity in Northern Ireland,” I was happily surprised as this was an abrupt change from just six weeks ago when Martin said that that he “goes bananas” when his own party colleagues call for a poll instead of focusing on the Shared Island initiative, which was set up in 2020 and will commit €2 billion to cross-Border projects between now and 2035.”
Reflecting on Martin’s change of heart, the Irish proverb “It’s a long road that has no turning” popped into my head. This proverb has always meant to me that no matter how difficult things appear now, if you keep working and trying to move forward, the road will turn in your favour. Over the last several months, Martin and his Fianna Fáil party seemed like an immovable obstacle on the road to a Border Poll. Calling for clarity on the conditions for a border poll, is admittedly a small step. I would argue that it is a significant crack in the wall that was standing in front of a border poll.
Martin and Fianna Fáil’s movement towards a border poll represents a major step in the discussion of a border poll. Martin’s comments, as tepid as they are, means that Fianna Fáil is joining the conversation about a border poll.
Why did Martin change his position? The reason is simple. He felt the political pressure. Martin may not have seen the light on the need for a border poll, but he has felt the heat and in the political arena heat is a more effective motivator than light.
As unlikely as it seems, we have new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to thank for Fianna Fáil joining the conversation on an Irish border poll. To recap briefly, while on his first visit to Northern Ireland Burnham abruptly dismissed the prospect of a border poll. As the Irish Times reported on August 27:
A Border poll on a united Ireland is “off the table”, Andy Burnham has said on his first visit to Northern Ireland as UK prime minister. “I am here to listen and to collaborate, but some issues will be off the table, and that is one of them,” he said in response to a question from The Irish Times. “I see how referenda can really take you backwards because it turns people in on themselves, and arguing with each other, and cause rifts that take a long, long time to heal.” Instead of a referendum on a united Ireland, politicians should be focusing on issues such as the cost of living, a budget and making people’s lives better, Burnham said.
The backlash to Burnham’s dismissal of a border poll was swift and broad. Those critical of Burnham’s comments, quite understandably, focused on the clear fact that the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement specifically details the criteria for calling a poll. It was this provision of a peaceful and democratic way to achieve Irish unity that helped end the conflict in Northern Ireland. This week Burnham had to clarify his remarks during prime minister’s questions and recommit his support for the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.
Ironically, Burnham’s remarks may have been a major stop on the road to an Irish Border Poll. Martin, for whatever else you think of him, is a politician who can count votes. He knows that his coalition partner, Fine Gael is due to have out a blueprint on Irish Unity to release at its Ard Fheis in November 2026. I certainly do not think that Fine Gael will endorse a Border Poll, but they will have something to say about Irish unity. Fianna Fáil now has something to say, however mild, on an Irish Border Poll. My guess is that right now that Fianna Fáil is thinking what else it can say on Irish unity.
The past several weeks have shown that advocacy can move both a British Prime Minister and an Irish Taoiseach towards the Border Poll envisioned in the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. The task for those who support a Border Poll is to not only keep speaking out, but to turn up the volume.