However, her stances on Irish unity, on the Irish language, on the very issue of identity, are among those reasons. But, beyond arithmetic, what does this shift mean at a deeper level for the idea of Irish unity? The ‘others’The number of Northern Ireland voters who identify as “neither nationalist nor unionist” has increased markedly. Indeed, the Northern Ireland Life and Times (NILT) surveys demonstrate that “neithers” have been the largest single group in Northern Ireland since 2006 – not unionists or nationalists. So, what does this convergence mean – if anything – for the prospect of Irish unity?

Source: The Irish Times March 17, 2026 17:53 UTC