A referendum on unifying Ireland and Northern Ireland will happen within the next six years, according to the president of Sinn Fein.

Mary Lou McDonald was speaking to Sky News following the restoration of the Northern Ireland executive, where her party – a nationalist group – are now the largest caucus in Belfast for the first time since the Good Friday Agreement came into effect.

Politics latest:
Labour expected to scale back £28bn green plan today

She said: “What I firmly believe is – in this decade – we will have those referendums, and it’s my job and the job of people like me who believe in reunification to convince, to win hearts and minds and to convince people of that opportunity – part of which, by the way, will be really consolidating our relationship with Britain as our next door neighbour and good friend.”

Asked if she meant before 2030, Ms McDonald said “yes”.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News App. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

Related posts:

‘I really don’t want it to happen’: Ex-England keeper ‘in shock’ over Super League plans The four questions left unanswered by report into BBC’s Diana interview Beaten up by the Taliban: British family’s ordeal escaping Afghanistan UK charges third Russian intelligence officer over Salisbury spy poisonings Torso in the Thames: Police appeal over ‘cold’ case of unidentified boy who may have died in ritual killing Princess Anne isolating and unlikely to spend Christmas with Queen after husband tests positive for COVID Police charge 27 people over riot sparked by death of teenager Queen meets Justin Trudeau in first in-person engagement since catching COVID ‘He can be our wingman!’ Tom Cruise spotted at Gloucestershire air show Nurse struck off after secret lover patient dies in car Girl in hospital after ant infestation causes septic shock One in five have seen someone mocked because of their learning disability