The Irish Unity Dividend E-Book

Ben Collins

• Herausgeber: Luath Press
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 333

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

What do you think are the key challenges facing Ireland today, and how can unity address them?How might Irish unity impact your life or the lives of those around you?Have you considered what a referendum on Irish unity could mean for the future of the island?Would there be an 'Irish unity dividend' and if so, what form might it take and who would benefit? In this book Ben Collins presents a compelling analysis of the numerous advantages that Irish unity can bring. With the future of the island at a critical juncture, Collins emphasises the importance of planning ahead of a potential border poll to ensure that we get the right structures in place. Whether it be tackling healthcare discrepancies between the north and the south or providing equal educational opportunities and putting young people at the forefront in these conversations as a matter of understanding the importance  of Ireland's future, The Irish Unity Dividend is an essential read for anyone living on the island.  This is a chance to have an open conversation on a controversial topic that is unavoidable. The future is coming, and we need to take this time to fully understand it and plan efficiently. 

Leseprobe

BEN COLLINS grew up in a strongly pro-unionist and pro-British background in East Belfast. Previously a volunteer for the UUP campaign during the 2001 Westminster election, an active member of the UK Conservative Party in Scotland from 2001 to 2003 and then a campaigner for the Alliance Party in Northern Ireland, he is not a member of any political party. A communications consultant and director with an independent public affairs agency in Belfast, he has previously been the UK executive director for ULI (Urban Land Institute), chief executive of the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations (NIFHA) and has worked in roles with a strong focus on political communications for more than twenty-five years. This has included working as a press officer for the Northern Ireland Office (UK Government Department) at the time of the St Andrews Agreement negotiations, for three international communications consultancies, a professional body and a medical regulator. He has an MSC in Political Communication, an MBA and a Law degree, and is licensed to practise as an attorney in New York State. His first book Irish Unity: Time to Prepare was also published by Luath Press, in October 2022. He resides in his home city of Belfast, working across the island of Ireland. He has previously lived and worked in Edinburgh, Cardiff, London and Dublin.

Praise for The Irish Unity Dividend:

The book succeeds in translating often over-complicated arguments on the potential benefits of constitutional change on the island of Ireland in a way that is relatable to people’s everyday lived experiences. The benefits of constitutional change across a range of areas including education, housing, health and the economy are laid out using a systematic, clear and positive approach. The author has meticulously used all available source material to ensure that each chapter is underpinned by the most relevant data and research. I highly recommend this book to any reader interested in furthering their understanding of the potential benefits of constitutional change on the Island of Ireland.PROFESSOR SEAMUS McGUINNESS

There are many important features to this book which makes it both a timely and essentialread especially for those advocating a new and independent Ireland.Ben grew up in a staunch unionist and British family, yet he felt Irish. His upbringing did not suppress his Irishness. He is part of a vocal civic group from a unionist and Protestant background; their voices constantly reminding us about Ireland’s diverse people and the need for a new Ireland to reflect and legally guarantee this diversity, especially the unionist and British cultural tradition.Ireland’s President Mary McAleese and her husband Martin, in office, pioneered and embraced this diversity. And this is the kernel of the book – the many benefits – a new Ireland will bring to its people. It’s a ‘nuts and bolts’ book – and answers all the anxious questions about being better off or not.It is a practical guide to leaving partition behind and seamlessly moving to living in an Ireland with one of everything – an economy, a health service, an agricultural industry, an education system and a welfare state and peace and prosperity for all.MARY LOU McDONALD TD, President of Sinn Féin

Ben Collins’ book makes a crucial contribution to public debate, in setting out in such clear terms the key issues at stake in a future referendum on a new and united Ireland. I think it will be of interest in particular to those beyond the Irish nationalist community who are thinking about the issues– whether they are (former) unionists, those who do not identify as nationalist or unionist, or the growing community of new arrivals in Northern Ireland.PROFESSOR JOHN DOYLE, Dublin City University

Praise for Irish Unity: Time to Prepare:

The partitioning of Ireland has left a tragic legacy of estrangement especially in Northern Ireland where until the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 conflicting allegiances and identities set the scene for ongoing wasteful conflict and instability. The Agreement put the issue of ending partition on the agenda for medium to long term consideration. Brexit which was not supported by a majority in Northern Ireland and changing demographics have brought the issue of partition closer and closer to centre stage. Many scholarly and political analyses are now adding to the inevitable debate, but few deepen and widen it as Ben Collins’ book does. With exceptional courage he steps outside the predictable tribal politics which have inhibited fresh, radical thinking on all sides including within the unionist tradition which he is steeped in from birth. Here is a plan for building a dynamic and welcoming new home for all who share this beautiful island. A home beyond partition, without partition. This book is precisely the kind of challenging thinking needed at this strange time. I hope it provokes thoughtful and respectful discussion across all the chasms we need to bridge if the future is to honour the promise of peace and partnership most yearn for.DR MARY McALEESE, President of Ireland 1997–2011

In a timely addition to the growing public debate about Irish unity, Ben Collins examines the feasibility and desirability of such a radical change. And he pulls no punches, convinced that Northern Ireland’s political institutions aren’t fit for purpose and that Irish unity is ‘an idea whose time has come’. Ben Collins grew up as an East Belfast Unionist, describing himself today as ‘an idealist and a pragmatist’ who believes ‘Irish unity is an urgent necessity’, especially after the trauma of Brexit and what he describes as Boris Johnson’s ‘betrayal’ of Northern Ireland. His book is a roadmap towards that end; a clearheaded analysis of the complex issues, grounded in fact, with terrific historical detail. He highlights one of the thorniest issues now facing Northern Ireland; the state created specifically to have Protestant and Unionist majority that will very soon have neither. Anyone interested in the future not just of Northern Ireland, but of these islands, would benefit from this thought-provoking book.BILL NEELY

Ben Collins argues a powerful and articulate economic, social and political case for Irish reunification within the European Union. That this is not the work of a life-long republican but from an author originating from a unionist background indicates how the old certainties surrounding the constitutional question are disappearing. The book is particularly strong in observing broader contexts: the increased economic drivers from Brussels with Northern Ireland given the EU Protocol; the continuing strength of the independence movement in Scotland and its growth in Wales. The growth of a centre ground within the North, persuadable for Irish unity, is correctly observed as potentially decisive in deciding the outcome of a border poll.The author outlines how a unity referendum can be won on either side of the border, via a combination of leadership and the allaying of fears, before articulating how a single parliament in Dublin can accommodate unionists.Not everyone will agree with the author’s assertion that Irish unity is probable within a decade. Regardless, this is an important book which ought to be read by those on either side of the constitutional debate – and by those yet to make up their mind.JON TONGE, Professor of Politics, University of Liverpool

Irish Unity: Time to Prepare details how the unfolding campaign for Scottish independence has helped build momentum for Irish unity and describes the step changes in his own outlook.LESLEY RIDDOCH

First published 2025

ISBN: 978-1-80425-260-4

The author’s right to be identified as author of this book under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 has been asserted.

Typeset in 12pt Sabon by Lapiz

© Ben Collins 2025

For Alison,

With you everything is possible.

Contents

Acknowledgements

Foreword

by Former President of Ireland Dr Mary McAleese

Glossary of Terms

Timeline of Key Events

Introduction

Healthcare

Housing and Infrastructure

Education and Skills

Economy

Relations with Europe

Relations with Britain

Addressing the Climate Crisis

Renewing the Political Compact between State and Citizens

Protecting and Cherishing all People Equally

In Conclusion

Endnotes

Acknowledgements

WHEN GAVIN AT LUATH PRESS first suggested the idea of a follow up to my first book Irish Unity: Time to Prepare, I was flattered. Fortunately, I was quickly able to come up with a suitable topic that would build on the first book, rather than just repeat it.

The end product has taken three years to get into publication. But considering that my first book took a decade to get from concept into print, it’s hopefully a sign that my writing is becoming quicker – I will leave it to others to judge if it is actually better. The entire team at Luath Press are a pleasure to work with. This book couldn’t have happened without the enthusiastic support and expertise of Amy, Kira, Scott and of course Gavin. After my first book I said to my editor, Caitlin Mellon that I hoped we could work together again. I’m grateful that we have been able to do just that.

Lots of people have helped with this book. To my Parisian family, Julie and John – thank you for your ongoing support and love. You make the world a brighter place.

I have been fortunate that I have got to meet and speak with lots of different people from all sorts of political backgrounds since I first put my head above the parapet on Irish Unity in 2022. There are too many to mention them here but thank you for talking with me and sharing your ideas. Conversation is how we can address and solve our challenges, as well as seize our opportunities together.

Jude Perry is someone who I value as a friend and who has an excellent understanding of issues across Ireland. Brian Mannion is someone who understands high finance, international relations, has a brilliant sense of humour, and is always good craic over a pint. It has been said that if you’re the smartest person in the room, then you’re in the wrong room. Every time I’m in the same room as Tracey Ellis I can relax, knowing that I don’t need to move rooms and that I will benefit from her enthusiasm for life and friendship. Stephen Sharp is a fellow traveller in many ways and someone who is always good company.

To the Skool Dads, it’s not often that you get to have three such good friends living in the neighbourhood. Love you guys, even though you support the wrong team in Liverpool. To my old mucker Ricky, thanks for your encouragement and banter, as always.

John Manley has been an early supporter of my writing since before my first book was published. Thank you for that. William Crawley was generous about my early writing. Mark Carruthers gave me a chance to discuss the question of Irish Unity with others and to spend an enjoyable evening in the Linenhall Library doing so. Mark Hennessy has been generous with his time and genuine in his interest about how we can possibly go about bringing the island together. His Common Ground initiative is crucial and aided by his deep personal interest in the issues. Brendan Byrne has been very supportive of my writing from the start which I take as a real compliment. I hope there is an opportunity for us to work together on a project in the future.

Claire Mitchell is one of those people you meet who is just a joy to be around. Your writing is wonderful – I aspire to be half as good as you one day. Seán Napier does a mean tour of Belfast with his mate Colm. He also brings great intellect to any conversation over a pint or two of Guinness. I’m lucky to know you. Each day I am more convinced that the example of the United Irish movement with Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter working together to secure human rights for all, provides us with a framework for the New Ireland.

Jim Gibney is someone I have enjoyed speaking with regularly about a wide range of issues. I know that his desire to see a truly United Ireland, especially one that includes our unionist brothers and sisters, is heartfelt. Frank Connolly has also been a firm supporter of my books, and I continue to appreciate that. Joe Dwyer has been very helpful whenever I’ve sought to do anything in London. Every time I’ve met Declan Kearney he has encouraged me to keep writing and I’m always grateful for that. Chris Swain is a great guy that I’ve met through various events in Belfast – he has thought very deeply about these issues and also has a wonderfully dry sense of humour. Wallace Thompson is a brave man for speaking out on what he believes – I admire him for doing so, as I know it cannot have been easy. Denzil McDaniel is always good company. Trevor Birney has achieved a lot of success in his career and been put through a lot, thankfully coming out the other side. So, when he has encouraged my own writing, it means a lot coming from someone with his achievements.

Will Chambré has been a good friend for 25 years and has also been my business partner since early 2024. Thank you for your friendship and for helping to keep my enthusiasm for public affairs alive. Everyone at Chambré, clients and colleagues, has been and continues to be a joy to work with. Professor Paddy Gray has always been supportive in my professional career and my writing, for which I’m very thankful.

Kevin Rooney of Irish Border Poll has become a good buddy and someone who has really supported my writing, both here in Ireland and in London. Kevin Meagher is a communications consultant and fellow writer, admittedly much more prolific than me. His humour and insight are always welcome.

Gerry Carlile of Ireland’s Future gave me a platform to talk about my desire to see a United Ireland, before we’d even met for the first time and has continued to do so. I’m very grateful for that. The work of Ireland’s Future is crucial in providing opportunities for people from a wide range of backgrounds to talk about the key issues for all citizens across Ireland and beyond, who are interested in the reunification of our island.

Colin Harvey is a good friend and supporter, and uses his incisive knowledge of human rights to help set out how we can all benefit from Irish Unity. Andy McGibbon is not only a great musician but also someone with an excellent understanding of the political issues that matter. Thanks for your humour and for giving me the chance to speak more than once on your podcast.

Gabriel McCaffrey has continued to support my writing. While you may live thousands of miles from Belfast in Ottawa, your insight and understanding of political developments in Ireland remains astute. You are also a much valued friend. David Torrance is both passionate about crime fiction and incredibly knowledgeable in relation to books generally. His No Alibis Bookstore in Belfast is a beacon of light, as we have traversed through some dark times politically.

James Maloney MP and Jennifer Hartley in Toronto have also been very supportive and I am grateful for that. My old friend Graeme Hartley has continued to be a source of inspiration.

Dr Mary McAleese is someone who did so much for Ireland during her fourteen years as President and has continued to make a significant contribution since then. I am incredibly honoured that she has taken the time to write the foreword for this book and to speak at my Dublin book launch. It is very much appreciated.

There are lots of people who come from a similar background to my own, who privately tell me they agree that Irish Unity is the logical way forward. I hear you and I thank you. Writing about this issue is important to me personally. But I do so because I believe that it will lead to a brighter future, for my own family and for everyone who lives across this island. I know and understand how our unionist brothers and sisters think and feel. It is a background I share and I want to do everything I can to ensure that everyone is included in how we build and maintain a New Ireland. I welcome these individual conversations and look forward to having many more in the time ahead.

My family are very important to me. So, I’d like to thank my parents, David and Rosemary, as well as my brothers, Jackson and Justin for their support. I am blessed to have three wonderful ladies in my life – Alison my better half and two brilliant daughters, Violet and Scarlett. Words cannot describe what the three of you mean to me. You are my entire world.

Foreword

THERE ARE MANY REASONS to believe that ending partition on the island of Ireland and establishing a shared form of unified governance will not only lead to greater political stability through communal reconciliation and an embedded egalitarian culture of parity of esteem but will also promote much better outcomes across all the metrics that reveal quality of life for all who live on the island of Ireland. Some of those metrics make for hard reading today – they contradict past assumptions and call for urgent attention.

An Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI)1 report published in April 2025 highlights the stark differences which now exist between Northern Ireland and the Republic. In 2004, at the end of my first term as President, the expected lifespan of people on both sides of the border was equal. Now, a child who was born in 2021 in the South can expect to live for 82.4 years – two years longer than someone born at the same time in Northern Ireland. There is also a significant discrepancy between North and South in relation to infant mortality. In Northern Ireland, for every thousand babies born, 4.8 will die before their first birthday – the equivalent figure for the Republic is 2.8. The rates for infant mortality were the same for the two states on the island in 2009.

Irish Unity provides us with the route to securing and maintaining a truly seamless all-Ireland approach to healthcare which we clearly and urgently need. Providing an environment where there can be good health outcomes is a crucial function for a state.

Compared to the Republic, Northern Ireland also suffers from lower levels of educational attainment, the repercussions of which last long beyond the classroom and the workplace. Young people’s experience at school and further education can often play a formative role in their future development and in how they contribute to the healthy development of their own lives and the life of their civic society. The fact that a third of young people in Northern Ireland aged between 15 and 19 are not in education is a cause for worry. This is substantially more than the number of early school leavers in the Republic and reflects unacceptable levels of wasted potential.

There is a clear link between poor health outcomes and low educational achievement; between early school leaving and recruitment into paramilitarism and anti-social activities. Equality of opportunity for all pupils in post-primary education is the hallmark of a healthy society. It is also the driver of a healthy society. Sadly, the partitioned nature of our island means that educational and health outcomes are shaped for better or worse according to whether you live in the North or the South.

Young people – whether in Dublin or Belfast, Cork or Derry – need hope, and they depend on decision-making adults to create the conditions in which they can fully flourish. They quite literally are the future of our island. We owe it to every one of them to provide a nurturing society, careful of their lives, investing in their opportunities, willing them on to grow, learn and develop in peace and in shared prosperity. The benefits to all should be obvious, should be compelling enough to challenge us to put aside old vanities and tribalism and engage in realistic people-centred and prospects-centred discussions about how to create together a great future for all.

The theme for my presidency was ‘Building Bridges’ and that work is still much needed if future generations are to feel the power and potential that we are capable of generating by new forms of collaboration in a New Ireland. It is important that everyone is given the chance to participate in how we build the island home for all the future. The debates and decisions needed to create that new homeland for all will need the thinking and involvement of all mindsets across the cohorts of Unionist, Nationalist, Loyalist, Republican, and all others, including those are currently reluctant to engage on constitutional issues.

Fear never created a future worth looking forward to. A new all-island homeland within the European Union offers a vision beyond fear; a vision for lives valued, perspectives respected, differences transcended by a culture of good neighbours, of the best health, education, housing and employment outcomes distributed fairly in a society built on justice and equity and the fullest social, civic inclusion.

Ireland today has been transformed thanks to independence and education into one of the fastest growing economies in Europe. Northern Ireland’s fortunes have not been so buoyant, but they could be, and I hope will be. During my time as President, I was fortunate to be able to travel to many countries across the globe and everywhere I found the most remarkable and consistent goodwill towards our island with its vibrant culture celebrated and enjoyed far from its original roots.

We have already given the world so much by way of those who left our shores and now the generation that is rooted here, that has experienced these hard-earned days of peace, has the gift of future progress in its own hands. Our friends all over the world are willing us on to be the very best we can be.

I believe the removal of the border will allow us and future generations to build normalised, organic, solid relationships in place of zero-sum estrangements. One day a united, reconciled people will be able to say they helped the island of Ireland take her place among the nations of the world, proud, prosperous, peaceful and a light to a broken world. A light lit by its healthy, educated, confident people, all of them, and driven by insisting on the best for all who call the island of Ireland their home.

I commend this book for setting out the many benefits which will arise from the reunification of Ireland, if we plan in advance of a border poll and get the structures right. Regardless of background or beliefs, there will be an Irish Unity Dividend for all who live across this island.

Dr Mary McAleese

Former President of Ireland (1997–2011)

Glossary of Terms

Aontú: socially conservative, economically left-wing Republican party founded and led by Peader Tóibín, who resigned from Sinn Féin while a sitting TD due to his opposition to abortion.

Alliance: Liberal party in Northern Ireland; does not take a constitutional position.

Conservatives:UK centre-right, pro-Brexit party. Also known as Tories.

Customs Union: the arrangement that allows for a group of states to charge the same import duties and provides for free trade within an agreed area.

DUP: Democratic Unionist Party for Northern Ireland; pro- British and socially conservative party, originally anti-Good Friday Agreement with historic links to the Ulster Resistance.

Fianna Fáil: Conservative, Christian Democratic party in the Republic of Ireland, part of Renew Europe group.

Fine Gael: Liberal Conservative party in the Republic of Ireland, part of EPP (European People’s Party).

Green: all-Ireland, pro-European party focused on environmental/climate issues.

Good Friday Agreement: peace agreement which facilitated the end of The Troubles in Northern Ireland following referendums in both parts in Ireland (sometimes referred to as the Belfast Agreement).

Irish Labour: centre-left party of the Republic of Ireland.

ICRIR: Independent Commission on Reconciliation and Information Recovery established by British government’s controversial Legacy Act.

MLA: Member of the Legislative Assembly, in this context, the Northern Ireland Assembly

MP: Member of Parliament, in this context, the Westminster Parliament.

Nationalists/Republicans: elected or appointed representatives of a political party or group; favour Irish Unity.

nationalists/republicans: members of the nationalist/republican community; have pro-Irish leanings and/or background.

Northern Ireland Protocol: the international treaty negotiated between the EU and UK to ensure there is no hard border on the island of Ireland; resulted in an Irish Sea Border between Northern Ireland and Britain.

Project Ireland 2040: Irish government’s long-term strategy which ensures alignment of investment plans with the stated National Strategic Objectives for 2040.

Reform UK: right wing populist party led by Nigel Farage which champions Brexit and is anti-immigration.

Sinn Féin: all-Ireland party with historic links to the Provisional IRA.

SDLP: Social Democratic Labour Party; Northern Ireland pro-unity party; formerly had links with Fianna Fáil.

Senator: Member of the Seanad, the Irish Senate.

Single Market: a group of countries (in this context within Europe, the EU27, the three countries of the European Economic Area, namely Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, as well as Switzerland through a number of sectoral treaties) agreeing to trade without tariffs or restrictions among themselves.

TD: Teachta Dála, member of Dáil Éireann, the Lower House of the Houses of the Oireachtas.

TUV: Right wing Unionist party set up by Jim Allister, former member of the DUP. Opposed to power-sharing and the Good Friday Agreement. Previously had an electoral pact with Reform UK during 2024 Westminster election.

UK Labour:UK centre-left party.

Unionists/Loyalists: elected representatives of a pro-union political party or group

unionists/loyalists: members of unionist/loyalist communities; pro-British/pro-union, identify as British; favour being part of the UK.

USMCA: the trade deal between the USA, Mexico and Canada which replaced NAFTA.

UUP: Ulster Unionist Party; original party of government for first fifty years of Northern Ireland; originally pro-Good Friday Agreement.

Windsor Framework: a post-Brexit legal agreement between the EU and the UK to adjust the operation of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Timeline of Key Events

OUTLINED BELOW ARE some of the key dates that provide context for this book. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list – that would be a book in itself.

1 January 1801: Act of Union between Britain and Ireland comes into effect; parliament of Ireland merges with parliament of Great Britain to create a new parliament of the United Kingdom.

24–29 April 1916: the Easter Rising. An armed rebellion takes place in Ireland during Easter week. Launched by Irish Republicans who wanted to end British rule in Ireland and create an independent country. The British reaction to the Rising, whereby a number of its participants were shot by firing squad, contributed to a widespread change in public opinion against British rule.

14 December 1918:UK General Election (including Ireland). Ireland returns a majority of Sinn Féin MPS who refuse to take their seats in Westminster. Instead, they set up a new parliament in Dublin.

21 January 1919: first Dáil Éireann (which means ‘Assembly of Ireland’) meets in Dublin.

21 January 1919–11 July 1921: War of Independence. A guerrilla war fought between the Irish Republican Army and British forces. This included the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC), Auxiliaries and former British soldiers recruited to help the ric called ‘Black and Tans’ due to the colour of their uniforms.

3 May 1921: Partition of Ireland; creation of Northern Ireland by commencement of Government of Ireland Act 1920. It was originally envisaged that both states would stay part of the United Kingdom.

6 December 1921: Anglo-Irish Treaty signed in London by representatives of the British government, including the Prime Minister David Lloyd George and representatives of the Irish government, including Michael Collins. It provided for the establishment of the Irish Free State as a self-governing dominion within the British Empire.

28 June 1922–24 May 1923: Irish Civil War between pro-treaty and anti-treaty forces, who remained opposed to the partition of Ireland which was recognised by the treaty.

6 December 1922: Irish Free State of 26 counties officially established, ending the Irish War of Independence.

16 May 1926: Fianna Fáil party founded by Éamon de Valera and his supporters after they split from Sinn Féin, on the issue of abstention on taking the Oath of Allegiance to the British Monarchy. He advocated doing this so that he could keep his position as a Teachta Dála in the Irish Parliament.

8 September 1933: Fine Gael founded following the merger of Cumann na nGaedheal, the National Centre Party and the Army Comrades Association.

18 April 1949: Ireland formally leaves Commonwealth and becomes Republic of Ireland.

1964–72: Northern Ireland Civil Rights Campaign, challenging discrimination and inequality against Irish Catholics in Northern Ireland.

14 August 1969: British troops deployed to Northern Ireland, initially as a peacekeeping mission to restore order after RUC (Royal Ulster Constabulary) brutality in Catholic Derry/Londonderry Bogside. In the beginning, the army was welcomed by the Catholics/Nationalists there.

9 August 1971–December 1975: Operation Demetrius, AKA internment. Just under 2,000 people were arrested and interned (imprisoned without trial). Of these more than 1,800 were nationalists who were accused of being part of the IRA. Only 100 were loyalists. The European Court on Human Rights found five of the interrogation methods used amounted to torture.

30 January 1972: Bloody Sunday massacre in Derry. British Army shot 26 unarmed civilians during a protest march in the Bogside.

24 March 1972: Direct Rule introduced in Northern Ireland and Stormont Parliament collapses.

9 December 1973: the Sunningdale Agreement, which introduces power-sharing in Northern Ireland for the first time, is signed.

1 January 1974: Sunningdale power-sharing executive meets for the first time.

17 May 1974: Dublin and Monaghan bombs. UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force) planted three car bombs in Dublin and one in Monaghan which killed 33 civilians and injured 300.

28 May 1974: Sunningdale Agreement collapses after Ulster Workers’ Council Strike.

1 May 1975: elections to Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention set up by UK government to deal with NI constitutional issues.

3–13 May 1977: United Unionist Action Council strike with aim of getting UK government to take tougher action against the IRA and return to a Unionist majority form of government in Northern Ireland.

1 March–3 October 1981: hunger strike protests by Irish Republican prisoners to demand political status.

20 October 1982: elections to a Northern Ireland Assembly take place but Nationalist parties boycott the Assembly, and so planned devolution never takes place.

15 November 1985: Anglo-Irish Agreement signed. Intention for the treaty to bring an end to The Troubles in Northern Ireland.

23 June 1986: Northern Ireland Assembly is abolished by the UK Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

26 March 1991: Northern Ireland Secretary of State Peter Brooke informs House of Commons that ‘a basis for political talks now exists’. Becomes Brooke/Mayhew Talks.

April 1991–10 November 1992: Brooke/Mayhew Talks.

15 December 1993: Downing Street Declaration, a joint declaration by Prime Minster of the UK John Major and the Taoiseach of Ireland, Albert Reynolds, which affirmed the right to self-determination for the people of the island of Ireland.

29 January 1994: President Bill Clinton approves US visitor visa for President of Sinn Féin Gerry Adams.

31 August 1994:IRA ceasefire announced.

13 October 1994: Combined Loyalist Military Command announces ceasefire.

8 September 1995: David Trimble elected leader of Ulster Unionist Party.

30 November 1995: President Bill Clinton visited Northern Ireland.

30 May 1996: elections to Northern Ireland Forum.

10 June 1996: all-party negotiations begin in Belfast.

14 June 1996: Sinn Féin excluded from talks due to IRA remaining active.

1 May 1997: Labour landslide victory in UK election.

20 July 1997: IRA ceasefire renewed.

26 August 1997: Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD) established to oversee decommissioning of paramilitary weapons.

10 April 1998: Good Friday Agreement signed.

22 May 1998: referendums in both parts of Ireland approve Good Friday Agreement.

25 June 1998: first elections to new Northern Ireland Assembly.

15 August 1998: Omagh bombing carried out by Real IRA, a Republican splinter group opposed to the IRA’s ceasefire and the Good Friday Agreement. 29 people were killed; more than 200 injured.

11 February 2000: Northern Ireland Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive suspended.

30 May 2000: devolution restored to Northern Ireland Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive.

26 June 2000:IRA arms dump inspected.

1 July 2001: First Minister of Northern Ireland David Trimble resigns over lack of decommissioning.

10 August 2001: Northern Ireland Assembly suspended for 24 hours.

11 September 2001: terrorist attacks on New York and Washington DC.

21 September 2001: Northern Ireland Assembly suspended for 24 hours.

16 October 2001: Secretary of State for Northern Ireland announces that the RUC (Royal Ulster Constabulary) will be renamed the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) as part of Patten Report recommendations.

18 October 2001: Unionist Ministers resign from Northern Ireland Executive.

23 October 2001: IRA begins decommissioning its weapons.

25 October 2001: work begins on dismantling British Army observation towers in South Armagh.

2 November 2001: David Trimble fails to get sufficient Unionist support to be re-elected as First Minister.

4 November 2001: new Police Service of Northern Ireland comes into being.

6 November 2001: David Trimble secures sufficient support to be re-elected as First Minister and Mark Durkan is elected as Deputy First Minister.

14 October 2002–7 May 2007: Northern Ireland Assembly suspended.

7 October 2003: Cory Collusion Inquiry releases final reports.

26 November 2003: Northern Ireland Assembly elections. DUP and Sinn Féin become two largest parties for the first time.

28 July 2005: IRA announces end of its campaign and promises full decommissioning of all its weapons, to be witnessed by clergymen of Protestant and Catholic churches.

26 September 2005: IICD confirms that the IRA has fully decommissioned all its weapons.

13 October 2006: St Andrews Agreement which changed how First Minister is elected and set out new process for electing a Northern Ireland Executive minister with control over policing and justice.

28 January 2007: Sinn Féin special Ard Fheis approves a motion calling for devolution of policing and justice, support for the police services, PSNI and An Garda Síochána.

7 March 2007: Northern Ireland Assembly elections.

8 May 2007: Northern Ireland Assembly and Northern Ireland Executive restored with DUP and Sinn Féin as the two largest parties for the first time.

31 July 2007: British Army formally ends Operation Banner, its mission in Northern Ireland.

5 February 2010: Hillsborough Agreement allows Westminster to devolve policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

12 April 2010: policing and justice powers transferred from Westminster to Northern Ireland Assembly.

18 September 2014: Scottish independence referendum held. Narrow 55–45 per cent vote in favour of remaining in the UK.

23 December 2014: Stormont House Agreement, which covered identity issues, fiscal policies and devolution reform.

17 November 2015: Fresh Start Agreement for full implementation of Stormont House Agreement, sets out how to address ongoing paramilitary activity.

23 June 2016: UK votes to leave EU, Northern Ireland and Scotland vote to remain.

November 2016: potential £500 million overrun for Renewable Heat Incentive scheme comes to light.

9 January 2017: Martin McGuinness resigns as deputy First Minister due to RHI (Renewable Heat Incentive) scandal and Arlene Foster’s refusal to resign or step aside for duration of the inquiry.

16 Jan 2017: Northern Ireland Assembly suspended.

2 March 2017: Unionism loses its majority for the first time in an Assembly election.

23 May 2019: Unionism loses its majority of Northern Ireland seats in European Parliament election.

12 December 2019: Unionism loses its majority of Northern Ireland seats in UK Parliament election.

8 January 2020: Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive restored by New Decade New Approach agreement.

8 February 2020: Irish General Election takes place.

27 June 2020: Irish Coalition Government of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Greens is formed.

30 December 2020:UK Government agrees to trade deal with EU which includes Northern Ireland Protocol.

2 July 2020: First Minister Arlene Foster calls for Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill to temporarily step down while an investigation is carried out over Bobby Storey funeral.

30 March 2021: Arlene Foster calls on PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne to resign over Bobby Storey funeral.

28 April 2021: Arlene Foster announces her intention to resign as leader of the DUP and as First Minister after her own party’s MLAs turn against her.

3 May 2021: Centenary of partition of Ireland.

6 May 2021: Scotland Parliament elections return a majority of MSPS who are in favour of Scottish independence.

14 May 2021: Edwin Poots is elected leader of the DUP.

14 June 2021: Arlene Foster resigns as First Minister of Northern Ireland.

17 June 2021: Paul Givan is nominated as DUP First Minister and Michelle O’Neill is reappointed as Sinn Féin deputy First Minister.

17 June 2021: Edwin Poots resigns as DUP Leader.

30 June 2021: Sir Jeffrey Donaldson becomes new leader of the DUP.

8 November 2021:PUP (Progressive Unionist Party) withdraws support for the Good Friday Agreement, claiming that consent principle is undermined because of Northern Ireland Protocol.

3 Feb 2022: Paul Givan resigns as DUP First Minister in protest at Northern Ireland Protocol.

5 May 2022: Northern Ireland Assembly elections; Sinn Féin becomes the largest party for the first time.

13 May 2022: Jeffrey Donaldson confirms that the DUP will not nominate an Assembly speaker which means the Northern Ireland Assembly cannot operate.

13 June 2022: Northern Ireland Protocol Bill which will unilaterally seek to disapply parts of an international treaty between the UK and EU is tabled in UK Parliament.

7 July 2022: Boris Johnson announces that he will stand down as UK Conservative party leader and prime minister.

5 Sep 2022: Liz Truss elected as new Conservative party leader and then appointed as UK prime minister on 6 Sep 2022 by HM Queen Elizabeth II.

8 September 2022: Queen Elizabeth II dies and King Charles III becomes the new head of state for the UK.

20 Sep 2022: First phase of Northern Ireland Census 2021 released, covering passports held, ethnic group, national identity, language and religion. Shows that Protestants are not a majority religious group within the region for the first time.

23 September 2022: UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng delivered a mini budget which set out a series of tax cuts funded through additional government borrowing. In following days, the value of the pound sterling fell to its lowest ever level against the US dollar and government borrowing costs rapidly increased.

18 October 2022: Kwarteng is dismissed as UK Chancellor by UK prime minister Liz Truss.

25 October 2022: Liz Truss resigns as UK prime minister and is replaced by Rishi Sunak.

27 February 2023: Windsor Framework is announced. This is a post-Brexit legal agreement between the EU and the UK to adjust the operation of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

6 May 2023: Coronation of King Charles III takes place with Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Welsh being spoken during the ceremony for the first time. Sinn Féin representatives in attendance.

18 May 2023: Local government elections in Northern Ireland. Sinn Féin become the largest party in the region in local government. This is the first time that Nationalist parties received a greater share of the vote than Unionist parties.

19 September 2023: The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act receives Royal Assent. It is opposed by all major political parties in Northern Ireland, the Law Society of Northern Ireland, the Council of Europe, Amnesty International and the Irish government. The legislation will lead to the establishment of the ICRIR (Independent Commission on Reconciliation and Information Recovery).

7 December 2023: Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn MP refuses to set out criteria for a border poll and states that a referendum is ‘not even on the horizon’.

17 January 2024: Irish government formally lodges a case against the UK