Holywell Trust to host event on Attitudes Towards Europe and the Constitutional Future
Holywell Trust is set to host an upcoming public workshop on Wednesday, June 3 at 7pm in the Holywell Building.
The event will feature Emma Rooney, Senior Policy Officer at European Movement Ireland (EMI), who will present key findings from the EMI's landmark Ireland EU 2026 Poll.
The poll, launched on 6 May 2026, surveyed attitudes across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland on a range of issues including EU membership, Northern Ireland's place in Europe, trust in institutions, and concerns at the EU level.
Key findings from the poll that will be discussed in the workshop include how support for Ireland's membership of the EU remains strong at 82% in Ireland, unchanged from 2025, and is down 1% in Northern Ireland to 76%. While stable, this still represents the lowest support for EU membership since polling began in 2013, peaking in 2019 at 93%.
On the question of Irish unity, 59% of respondents in Ireland and 63% in Northern Ireland said that if a referendum were held tomorrow on a united Ireland in the EU, they would vote in favour. Opposition is higher in the North (29%) than in the Republic (22%), while the level of 'don't know' is higher in the South (19% in Ireland, 8% in Northern Ireland).
Given that some EU laws still apply in Northern Ireland, 73% of respondents in the North believe that Northern Ireland should have a greater say in EU decision-making, and 73% would also vote in favour of rejoining the EU in a UK referendum.
Emma Rooney, Senior Policy Officer at European Movement Ireland, said: “As we approach ten years since the Brexit referendum, European Movement Ireland’s research shows a clear and consistent pro-European outlook in Northern Ireland and indicates strong support for greater participation in EU decision-making.
“One of the biggest learnings from the Brexit referendum has been the importance of informed debate and engagement, and with 63% of respondents in Northern Ireland saying that they would vote in favour of a united Ireland in the EU, it is vital that we have open and inclusive discussions about the future of our island and its relationship with the EU.”
Holywell Trust is a charity based in Derry~Londonderry with a vision for a truly inclusive shared future. Through community relations work and reconciliation initiatives, the organisation works to build understanding and foster positive relationships across Northern Ireland’s diverse communities.
As part of this work, the organisation’s Forward Thinking project explores constitutional questions and issues from a wide range of perspectives, with European Movement Ireland’s event the latest in its series of workshops.