Northern Ireland

Ireland’s Future claims ‘evidential basis’ to support 2030 border poll

Actor James Nesbitt delivers the keynote address at the Ireland's Future event at the 3Arena in Dublin. Picture Mal McCann.
Actor James Nesbitt speaks at Ireland's Future event at the 3Arena in Dublin. PICTURE: MAL MCCANN

Ireland’s Future has said there is an “evidential basis” to support its view that a border poll could be called in 2030.

The civic nationalist group, which earlier this week presented its latest paper to TDs and senators at Leinster House and on Friday will hold an event in New York aimed at engaging with “key figures in Irish-America”, calls on the Dublin government to produce a “defined timeframe” to prepare for constitutional change.

Polls have closed in two by-elections
Ireland's Future rejects the 'unilateral and arbitrary approach' that leaves the decision for calling a border poll with the secretary of state (Rui Vieira/PA)

Ireland’s Future is due to hold its Pathway To Change event at Belfast’s SSE Arena on June 15. Billed as the group’s largest-ever gathering north of the border, speakers at the event will include Alliance leader Naomi Long, British Medical Association regional chair Dr Tom Black, DUP founder Wallace Thompson and former Ulster Democratic Party councillor David Adams.



Its latest paper, entitled Ireland 2030, rejects the “unilateral and arbitrary approach” that leaves the decision for calling a border poll with the secretary of state and urges instead a “intergovernmental dialogue” on the issue.

“Discussion should be initiated within the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference with a view to securing agreement on how each government plans to approach the referendum process in its jurisdiction in line with the values, principles and obligations of the (Good Friday) Agreement,” the document says.

“Our view is that the governments should commit to giving the people a constitutional choice via a referendum at some stage in the year 2030.”