Micheál Martin: Brexit could lead to Irish reunification

Published 22:42 17 Jul 2016 BST

Updated 12:00 20 Jul 2016 BST

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Micheál Martin: Brexit could lead to Irish reunification

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The consequences of last month's momentous Brexit vote will be felt across Europe for many years to come - but will it lead to all-Ireland reunification?

Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin hopes so. He delivered the John Hume Lecture at the MacGill Summer School over the weekend, and he used part of his speaking time to address "the critical moment in relation to the future of our island as a whole." Martin - whose party came out as the most popular in the state in a weekend opinion poll - referenced Brexit and the impact it might yet have here.

"It may very well be that the decision of Northern Ireland to oppose the English-driven anti-EU UK majority is a defining moment in Northern politics," he said. "The Remain vote may show people the need to rethink current arrangements. I hope it moves us towards majority support for unification, and if it does we should trigger a reunification referendum."

https://twitter.com/McBrideOrlaith/status/754771880599486466 However, he's also realistic about such a referendum's chances right now, saying that "at this moment the only evidence we have is that the majority of people in Northern Ireland want to maintain open borders and a single market with this jurisdiction, and beyond that with the rest of Europe." There have been fears ever since the UK voted to leave the EU that a "hard border" between North and South would return here. But the British Secretary of State for NI, James Brokenshire - appointed last week by new prime minister Theresa May - sought to reassure that there wouldn't be a return to the bad old days.

"I recognise the really important benefits that we get from the movement of people but also the movement of goods, services and trade and what that means for the economy," he said. "And that's why I think it is important to underline that joint commitment that both governments have to work through this, to maintain the common travel area and see that we don't see a return of those issues of the past."

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The consequences of last month's momentous Brexit vote will be felt across Europe for many years to come - but will it lead to all-Ireland reunification?

"It may very well be that the decision of Northern Ireland to oppose the English-driven anti-EU UK majority is a defining moment in Northern politics," he said. "The Remain vote may show people the need to rethink current arrangements. I hope it moves us towards majority support for unification, and if it does we should trigger a reunification referendum."

"I recognise the really important benefits that we get from the movement of people but also the movement of goods, services and trade and what that means for the economy," he said. "And that's why I think it is important to underline that joint commitment that both governments have to work through this, to maintain the common travel area and see that we don't see a return of those issues of the past."