What was the purpose of the act of union

The act of Union was signed in 1800. It joined the Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland. After the Act of Union, Ireland and Britain combined to create what is now known as the United Kingdom The act only joined Northern Ireland and Britain. The acts are still in position today although pre-1994, most Nationalists (Republic of Ireland) did not want the act as they wanted a united Ireland, cut off from the rest of the UK. Officially the act was called the Parliament Act of 1707