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The North’s First Minister Arlene Foster has said she is disappointed to hear that the Taoiseach\u2019s office is preparing for Britain to \u201close interest\u201d in Northern Ireland.<\/p>\nThe North’s First Minister Arlene Foster has said she is disappointed to hear that the Taoiseach\u2019s office is preparing for Britain to \u201close interest\u201d in Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n
The Shared Island Unit was set up in Micheal Martin\u2019s office earlier this year to \u201cwork towards a consensus on a shared island\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Taoiseach said it is preparing for the possibility that Britain may get \u201cturned off\u201d Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin speculated around the potential impact of English nationalism, Brexit and the possibility of Scotland leaving the United Kingdom on Northern Ireland\u2019s membership of the union.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happens if England gets turned off Northern Ireland? We\u2019ve got to be thinking all this through,\u201d Mr Martin told the Irish Independent newspaper.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey may just say \u2018we\u2019re not as committed to it as we were in the past\u2019. That may not happen for quite some time, but we have to be prepared for all sorts of eventualities.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Mr Martin ruled out the possibility of a border poll, describing it as \u201ctoo divisive and too threatening\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mrs Foster expressed her disappointment over the comments, coming just a week after what she described as a positive meeting of the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC).<\/p>\n
\u201cA good neighborly N\/S relationship requires consistency,\u201d she tweeted.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter a positive NSMC, the Taoiseach\u2019s comments are disappointing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe principle of consent determines NI\u2019s place in the U.K. NI will keep moving forward by respecting our diverse identities not dubious theories.\u201d<\/p>\n