Britain not ready to set out border poll criteria, says Taoiseach

Micheál Martin said he talked with British prime minister Andy Burnham about the framework to replace the existing UK Legacy Act that would lift a ban on civil cases, and reform the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery, writes Tadgh McNally in Manchester

Taoiseach Micheál Martin and British prime minister Andy Burnham meet members of the local community during a visit to the Brian Boru Irish Club. Picture: Oli Scarff/PA

The British government is not yet in a position to set out the criteria it would use to call a border poll, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said.

Mr Martin said his talks with British prime minister Andy Burnham on Friday focused primarily on legacy issues in the North as well as reforms to Stormont.

Asked whether he had sought clarification on the British government's criteria for a border poll, Mr Martin said: "I don't think at this stage that the British government is at that position."

The Taoiseach declined to say whether Irish unity was specifically discussed, saying only that there had been a "broad discussion" of the Good Friday Agreement. "We didn't get into the specifics around that," he said.

It comes days after US president Donald Trump gave his own backing to Irish unity, and after leaders from Sinn Féin, the Scottish National Party, and Plaid Cymru called on the British government to prepare for constitutional change.

The Taoiseach said “in-depth” discussions were held around legacy issues in the North, citing the October deadline for passing of legislation in both Ireland and Britain.

“I stress the importance of getting the framework agreement through our respective parliaments, because this is a really concrete and substantial agreement, which would mean a lot to the survivors, to the families of victims, families who lost loved ones in 30 years of violence and trauma.

“We’ve been 30 years endeavouring to put something together on legacy.”

The revised framework, agreed last September, would replace the existing UK Legacy Act and would include lifting a ban on civil cases, permitting inquests to continue and reforming the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery.

Mr Martin said getting this agreement enacted would be a “real significant step forward in reconciliation on the island of Ireland”.

Mr Martin and Mr Burnham also discussed reforms to the Stormont institutions; the Taoiseach said this needs to take place in advance of the upcoming elections in Northern Ireland.

No 10 Downing Street said the two leaders “discussed the importance of their joint commitments to addressing the legacy of the Troubles and working towards lasting reconciliation in Northern Ireland”.

Mr Martin's visit to Manchester saw him become the first international leader to meet Mr Burnham at the newly established No 10 North.

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The office was established by Mr Burnham as part of efforts to decentralise government and expand the reach of the prime minister's office beyond London.

The two leaders later travelled to Burnham's constituency of Makerfield, on the outskirts of Manchester, where they visited the Brian Boru Irish Club.

Mr Martin told attendees that Mr Burnham had committed to visiting Ireland and was keen to attend an All-Ireland final next July.

"He said to me in the car, 'I'd love to get to see one of those All-Irelands'," Mr Martin told reporters. "I said, 'Look, we can arrange that. Either hurling or Gaelic football'."

He added: “No doubt his people who do his diary are looking at those dates with another headache for them.”

• Tadgh McNally, political reporter