Martin Burns is a recent graduate of Queen’s University, Belfast. He has worked as a Congressional aide, political consultant and journalist.
by Martin Burns
Irish America has always been strongly supportive of the cause of Irish unity. Indeed, anyone familiar with Irish history will remember that the 1916 proclamation of the provisional government recognized the support of Ireland’s exiled children in America. Closer to our own time, it was Irish America that in 1992 forced the issue of Northern Ireland into the 1992 presidential campaign by asking then Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton to grant a visa to Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams. Irish America kept up the pressure on the Clinton administration to issue a visa to Adams, which was one of the key steps that led to the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. Irish America worked tirelessly to make sure that Brexit did not jeopardize the hard-won Irish peace process.
Today, Irish America has an equally important part to play to make Irish unity a reality: lobby the Irish government to work and plan for a united Ireland. Now, someone who is only tangentially following the debate might well ask the question: “Isn’t the Irish government already working and planning for a united Ireland?” The answer here is unfortunately “no.”
The Irish government has certainly rhetorically supported the cause of Irish unity. However, there is also a trend among Ireland’s ruling politically class to say that they support Irish unity, but not now. I would pose paraphrase the famous quote from Rabbi Hillel: “If not now, when?”
In April of 2025, the Belfast Telegraph interviewed Irish Taoiseach (prime minister) Micheál Martin and reported that:
When asked about a 2030 plebiscite, Martin is curt: “We’re not planning for a border poll in 2030 and I believe the work we’re doing now — making the Good Friday Agreement work, in parallel with that the Shared Island which is very practical incremental investment, continually engaging with people… it’s less attractive politically. You will notice that I’ve never sought to trumpet the Shared Island initiative. “Many of my own parliamentary colleagues say to me ‘people don’t know enough about it’ or ‘you’re not broadcasting it.’ There’s a deliberate reason for that — because I understand the sensitivities that you asked me in the opening question.
In a speech in West Belfast in June of 2025, former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said “Just saying it [a united Ireland] is an aspiration isn’t enough anymore. “I have proposed the establishment of a forum for parties interested in talking about unity. I hope, at some point, in the term of this Government, that decision will be taken.” Now, one can certainly say that Varadkar should have done more for Irish unity when he was in office. However, he is on board with the cause now and I hope he may be able to bring other with him.
In many respects, Irish America has simply assumed that the Irish government was working for Irish unity. Certainly, this is a logical conclusion and there have been a number of actions that the Irish government has funded a number of important projects through its Shared Ireland Initiative including:
- 14 million euro for a new media initiative taken forward by Commission na Mean.
- 5.9 million euro to develop cross-border emergency management capacity on flood response and technical rescue operations.
- 6 million euro for a new programme to engage with communities and the diaspora on the island’s heritage and culture.
- 14.5 million euro for an expanded Creative Ireland-Shared Island programme and for arts projects.
- 2 million euro to enable a new Dublin-Derry public service obligation air service to start in 2026.
- 2 million euro for a new greenways development fund.
- 6.4 million euro for a cross-border pilot regional cooperation programme on tackling Bovine TB.
- 2.3 million euro for commercialising research.
- 1.8 million euro to the All-Ireland pollinator plan.
All these projects as part of the Shared Island Initiative are important and significant – but they are not enough.
Where the Irish government has been sadly lacking in leadership for a united Ireland is not recognizing the potential of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. The Belfast/Good Friday Agreement established a peaceful means for a united Ireland via a referendum. The Irish government has clearly not risen to challenge here. They need to hear from Irish America on how important this is.
So, what should Irish America be asking the Irish government to do? The first step that the Irish government can take is to listen to its own citizens on their hopes and aspirations and yes even fears about a united Ireland. Ireland has often used citizen driven deliberative assemblies to debate complex issues. The Irish government should immediately call for citizens assemblies to discuss Irish unity. Sinn Féin has called for citizen assemblies to be set up as soon as possible. Irish America should call on other Irish politicians to follow Sinn Féin’s lead.
The language in the Belfast/Good Friday dealing with a referendum for a united Ireland is, as many diplomatic agreements are, vague. According to the BBC, “the Agreement says a referendum must be held if the secretary of state [for Northern Ireland] believes it is likely that a majority of people in Northern Ireland would vote for Irish unification. However, how that is measured has never been made clear.” The second step that Irish America, can take is to lobby the Irish government to press the British government for clarity on the criteria it will use to determine its responsibilities under the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.
Irish America has always risen to the task of standing strong for a united Ireland. The Irish American diaspora needs to do is get the Irish government to match its words with deeds and start planning for a united Ireland. I have no doubt that Irish America will rise to the challenge. A free and united Ireland has never been closer. This generation of Irish Americans can make the dream of Irish unity a reality.
Martin Burns is a recent graduate of Queen’s University, Belfast. He has worked as a Congressional aide, political consultant and journalist.
by Martin Burns
Irish America has always been strongly supportive of the cause of Irish unity. Indeed, anyone familiar with Irish history will remember that the 1916 proclamation of the provisional government recognized the support of Ireland’s exiled children in America. Closer to our own time, it was Irish America that in 1992 forced the issue of Northern Ireland into the 1992 presidential campaign by asking then Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton to grant a visa to Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams. Irish America kept up the pressure on the Clinton administration to issue a visa to Adams, which was one of the key steps that led to the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. Irish America worked tirelessly to make sure that Brexit did not jeopardize the hard-won Irish peace process.
Today, Irish America has an equally important part to play to make Irish unity a reality: lobby the Irish government to work and plan for a united Ireland. Now, someone who is only tangentially following the debate might well ask the question: “Isn’t the Irish government already working and planning for a united Ireland?” The answer here is unfortunately “no.”
The Irish government has certainly rhetorically supported the cause of Irish unity. However, there is also a trend among Ireland’s ruling politically class to say that they support Irish unity, but not now. I would pose paraphrase the famous quote from Rabbi Hillel: “If not now, when?”
In April of 2025, the Belfast Telegraph interviewed Irish Taoiseach (prime minister) Micheál Martin and reported that:
When asked about a 2030 plebiscite, Martin is curt: “We’re not planning for a border poll in 2030 and I believe the work we’re doing now — making the Good Friday Agreement work, in parallel with that the Shared Island which is very practical incremental investment, continually engaging with people… it’s less attractive politically. You will notice that I’ve never sought to trumpet the Shared Island initiative. “Many of my own parliamentary colleagues say to me ‘people don’t know enough about it’ or ‘you’re not broadcasting it.’ There’s a deliberate reason for that — because I understand the sensitivities that you asked me in the opening question.
In a speech in West Belfast in June of 2025, former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said “Just saying it [a united Ireland] is an aspiration isn’t enough anymore. “I have proposed the establishment of a forum for parties interested in talking about unity. I hope, at some point, in the term of this Government, that decision will be taken.” Now, one can certainly say that Varadkar should have done more for Irish unity when he was in office. However, he is on board with the cause now and I hope he may be able to bring other with him.
In many respects, Irish America has simply assumed that the Irish government was working for Irish unity. Certainly, this is a logical conclusion and there have been a number of actions that the Irish government has funded a number of important projects through its Shared Ireland Initiative including:
All these projects as part of the Shared Island Initiative are important and significant – but they are not enough.
Where the Irish government has been sadly lacking in leadership for a united Ireland is not recognizing the potential of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. The Belfast/Good Friday Agreement established a peaceful means for a united Ireland via a referendum. The Irish government has clearly not risen to challenge here. They need to hear from Irish America on how important this is.
So, what should Irish America be asking the Irish government to do? The first step that the Irish government can take is to listen to its own citizens on their hopes and aspirations and yes even fears about a united Ireland. Ireland has often used citizen driven deliberative assemblies to debate complex issues. The Irish government should immediately call for citizens assemblies to discuss Irish unity. Sinn Féin has called for citizen assemblies to be set up as soon as possible. Irish America should call on other Irish politicians to follow Sinn Féin’s lead.
The language in the Belfast/Good Friday dealing with a referendum for a united Ireland is, as many diplomatic agreements are, vague. According to the BBC, “the Agreement says a referendum must be held if the secretary of state [for Northern Ireland] believes it is likely that a majority of people in Northern Ireland would vote for Irish unification. However, how that is measured has never been made clear.” The second step that Irish America, can take is to lobby the Irish government to press the British government for clarity on the criteria it will use to determine its responsibilities under the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.
Irish America has always risen to the task of standing strong for a united Ireland. The Irish American diaspora needs to do is get the Irish government to match its words with deeds and start planning for a united Ireland. I have no doubt that Irish America will rise to the challenge. A free and united Ireland has never been closer. This generation of Irish Americans can make the dream of Irish unity a reality.