the republic of ireland under some circumstances. the good friday agreement, signed in 1998, which largely ended the conflict here, signed by the british and irish governments and the major political parties in northern ireland, it has a section which says that if in the future it appears likely to the british government that a majority of people in northern ireland would vote in a referendum to leave the uk and join a united ireland, then the british government is in essence duty bound to call that referendum. although sinn fein, the biggest irish nationalist party, is now the largest party in the assembly, and that is the first time a nationalist party has ever done that, it is still the case, if you look at the broader picture, there are more unionist politicians elected to the assembly than nationalist. so the british government has been pretty clear it doesn t think the grounds are there now to call a referendum on irish unity. indeed, the government in dublin says exactly the sam
have nothing to fear. certainly unionist politicians have nothing to fear. certainly unionist politicians i have nothing to fear. certainly unionist politicians i have - have nothing to fear. certainly i unionist politicians i have spoken to have said that those bread and butter issues are important to their voters as well. i just wonder, butter issues are important to their voters as well. ijust wonder, i want to get some reaction from you to what simon coveney the irish foreign minister has been saying today. he has said that this vote doesn t mean that a referendum on irish unity, the question of irish unity, is any closer. do you think that will be reassuring to unionists? i that will be reassuring to unionists? that will be reassuring to unionists? . , ~ ., unionists? i actually think that the loner the unionists? i actually think that the longer they stay unionists? i actually think that the longer they stay out unionists? i actually think that the longer they stay out o
of the population have said go back into power sharing, make it work and it s been so interesting to watch how sinn fein has shifted from a position where they said stormont isn t working and they resisted going back into power sharing to then saying let s get power sharing working, we want all the parties to work together, and the dup have not caught that zeitgeist at all and have stayed in this really negative place. if they decided they did want to share power, it would be very easy for them to be able to persuade those with british identity that their place is secure and that they have nothing to fear. certainly unionist politicians i have spoken to have said that those bread and butter issues are important to their voters as well. ijust wonder, i want to get some reaction from you to what simon coveney the irish foreign minister has been saying today. he has said that this vote doesn t mean that a referendum on irish unity, the question of irish unity, is any closer. do you think
of ireland if british politics is incapable of acknowledging and opposing the good friday agreement and preventing a hardening of the borage or den the only last option the backstop of last resort is a referendum on irish unity. there is mary lou mcdonald there from the irish nationals political party should fame or to understand the role of the irish bordering we re joined tonight by tony connolly he s the brussels correspondent for the irish national broadcaster r.t.e. he is one of europe s leading commentators on brags that the author of the book brick city and ireland tony it s good to have you on the day first and foremost i have to ask you what happened today theresa may she left brussels and the agreement with the european union is what. well she left also.
independence or indeed those demanding a border patrol in northern ireland surely this is the real threat to our union. it s british politics can all six sets the specific needs of this country of the north of ireland if british politics is incapable of acknowledging and opposing the good friday agreement and preventing a hardening of the border then the only last option to backstop of last resort is a referendum on irish unity. i was moved there from the irish nationalists political party should think or to understand the role of the irish border in brights we re joined tonight by tony connolly he s the brussels correspondent for the irish national broadcaster r.t.e. he is one of europe s leading commentators on brags that the author of the book and ireland tony it s good to have you on the day first and foremost i have to ask you