Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant has said that an Irish border poll is “not top of my list of priorities”.
Sir Chris was asked for his position on the matter during his first official visit to the region in the role since his appointment by Prime Minister Andy Burnham on July 20.
Under the terms of the 1998 Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, the Secretary of State can decide to hold a border poll, and also places a duty on the office holder to call one if it appears likely a majority would vote for Irish unification.
The people of the Republic of Ireland must also vote in favour to effect constitutional change.
Sir Chris had previously told Sky News that a vote on a united Ireland “may come at some point”.
Speaking to media in Belfast on Friday, Sir Chris said the criteria for a border poll is laid out in the 1998 accord, describing it as “very simple, basically that the Secretary of State thinks that it’s the right time”.
“It’s not top of my list of priorities,” he said, describing the Troubles Bill and Stormont budget as things he wants to get done.
Pressed on whether he believes a united Ireland will happen, Sir Chris said: “I believe a lot of things.
“I am deliberately avoiding answering the question.
“I am not starting the poll now, or this week, or this month, or I will suggest this year.”
Sinn Féin senator Conor Murphy said his party pressed Sir Chris on constitutional change and a unity referendum when they met at Hillsborough Castle on Friday afternoon.
“He needs to engage with that and to engage with the Irish government in relation to planning for an orderly transition into a unity referendum and constitutional change,” he said.
However, DUP leader Gavin Robinson insisted there is no “increasing pressure” for a border poll.
“Nationalist parties continue to wax lyrical and spin the same discs… in the last 30-odd years since 1998 the combined vote of nationalism hasn’t grown one percentage point,” he said.
“So there is no increased pressure, the volume might increase from time to time, but the Secretary of State is not going to be perturbed by that. He recognises Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom, he recognises that’s not going to change unless the people of Northern Ireland want it to and he recognises that ain’t going to happen.”
