Short answer
Today MI5 and the wider UK intelligence community protect Northern Ireland directly. After Irish unity, any access would depend on agreements between two separate states, which have not been set out.
What we know Fact
- MI5 has led national security intelligence work in Northern Ireland since 2007.
- The UK is a member of the "Five Eyes" intelligence partnership with the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Ireland is not.
- Sharing between states happens, but it is not the same as being inside the system.
What is still unclear Interpretation
There is no published proposal for how a united Ireland would replace or access UK intelligence capability.
