EU Leaders Expected To Make A Major Decision On Northern Ireland Today

Taoiseach Enda Kenny will today ask European Union leaders to accept a provision that allows Northern Ireland into the EU should the country eventually join a united Ireland.

According to the Irish Times, it is expected that the “entire territory” of Ireland would automatically be part of the union if the people of Northern Ireland vote to leave the United Kingdom.

A draft declaration states that:

“The European Council acknowledges that the Good Friday Agreement expressly provides for an agreed mechanism whereby a united Ireland may be brought about through peaceful and democratic means. In this regard, the European Council acknowledges that, in accordance with international law, the entire territory of such a united Ireland would thus be part of the European Union.”

The meeting is expected to last three hours.