Michelle O’Neill says Irish unity poll by 2030 is ‘very conceivable’

By Jonathan McCambridge, Press Association

It is “very conceivable” that a referendum on Irish unity could take place by 2030, Michelle O’Neill has claimed.

The Sinn Féin vice president described unity as the “big idea” of her generation, adding she had “not given up” on the poll taking place by the end of the decade.

The republican party’s Ard Fheis will take place in Belfast this weekend, with keynote addresses from O’Neill on Friday and party leader Mary Lou McDonald on Saturday.

While the event will cover a number of areas, O’Neill said Irish unity was the “big ticket conversation”.

In an interview with the Press Association, she said: “I think when we look at a lot of the challenges we are facing in today’s world, I think the answers to a lot of challenges that we face are actually in constitutional change.

“And we’re only two years out from the Good Friday Agreement anniversary of 30 years.

“I want to see the fulfilment of that, we were promised a unity referendum, and now we need to see that delivered upon.”

O’Neill, Northern Ireland’s first nationalist First Minister, said while she was co-operating with other parties to make Stormont work, there were “limitations” in the Assembly and Executive arrangements.

She said: “We see a bigger, brighter future.

“We see something that’s more meaningful to people’s lives.

“If we could have constitutional change here, where we break up the link to policy choices in London that are showing a real disregard for people here, Brexit is the best example of all.

I think the answers to a lot of challenges that we face are actually in constitutional change

“Since that we have had a rolling door of British prime ministers, none of them have fixed the fundamentals around the funding model here.

“None of them have actually acted in the best interests of people here.”

O’Neill added: “I think that shows why we need to take control of our own fortunes, why we need to control our own destiny going forward.

“I think the best answers to a lot of big challenges today is constitutional change.

“I believe partition has failed all of us.

“There’s so much to be achieved in the years ahead, and I’m certainly up for that.

“I think that’ll be the real focus of the Ard Fheis.”

Senior Sinn Féin figures have often called for a unity referendum to take place by the end of the decade.

I believe the big idea of my generation is Irish unity, and I believe that there's opportunity to rectify the wrongs of partition

However, unionists in Northern Ireland have claimed there has been no increase in support for Irish unity, while Taoiseach Micheál Martin has previously said he is not planning for a border poll by 2030.

Under the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement, a referendum would be held if the UK Secretary of State believes it is likely that a majority of people in Northern Ireland would vote for Irish unification.

Asked if the prospect of a unity poll by the end of the decade was diminishing, O’Neill said: “No, I don’t give up on that, we have said it should be 2030.

“We’re going to fight two by-elections in the 26 counties over the course of the next number of months.

“We’re going to fight an Assembly election next year, we’re going to have a Westminster election, a Dail election.

“So yes, I still think it’s very conceivable we will have our unity referendum for 2030.

“I think all those elections will demonstrate that change is possible, will demonstrate that people endorse a better future, and we will use all those election opportunities to speak directly to the voters, to ask them to get behind the big idea of our generation.

“I believe the big idea of my generation is Irish unity, and I believe that there’s opportunity to rectify the wrongs of partition.”