Irish Brexit report sets out united Ireland proposal - Polidicks

[URL="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-40799475"]BBC News[/URL] [QUOTE]An Irish parliamentary committee tasked with looking at the impact of Brexit on Ireland has set out a proposal to find a way towards peaceful re-unification. The committee will publish its report later on Wednesday. The report outlines 17 recommendations on what the Republic of Ireland should seek to have in the final agreement between the EU and the UK. Fianna Fáil Senator Mark Daly, who compiled the report, said that unity could only come through active consent. "This is the first report by a committee of the Dail or the Senate on how to achieve the peaceful unity of Ireland," he said. "Last year our former taoiseach Enda Kenny said the EU needs to prepare for a united Ireland. "And it's clear from the 17 recommendations by the committee that a lot of work needs to be done in advance of a referendum."' 'Referendum will happen' He added: "From talking to people in both communities in the north it is clear that everybody believes that at some stage there will be a referendum. "But we must learn the lesson from Brexit and the lesson from Brexit is that you don't have a referendum and then tell people what the future will look like, what you do is you lay out the future in great detail, you talk about the issues of great concern to all communities. The report - entitled Brexit and the Future of Ireland: Uniting Ireland and its People in Peace and Prosperity - was ratified by the all-party committee on 13 July. It outlines in detail the options for the island of Ireland in the wake of Brexit. It recommends the need for special status for Northern Ireland, the need to protect structural funds and that there should be no new passport controls.[/quote] [URL="https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0802/894730-brexit-report-united-ireland/"]RTE News[/URL] [QUOTE]Brexit's impact on united Ireland prospects studied The Government must negotiate for Northern Ireland to be designated with special status within the EU, a report by an Oireachtas committee has said. The report focuses on the potential impact of Brexit on the prospects of a united Ireland. The study from the cross-party committee on the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement makes 17 recommendations. As well as seeking special status for Northern Ireland, it says there should also be clarity as to whether the North will still be eligible for EU structural funds once the UK departs the European Union. The report recommends that there should be no passport controls on the borders between North and South. It says that a New Ireland Forum should be set up - much like the one that was around in the 1980s - to address unionists' concerns. Just what impact this report will have on upcoming Brexit negotiations and how it will be received in the unionist community is as of now unclear. Speaking at the publication of the report, Fianna Fáil Senator Mark Daly described recent comments by the Taoiseach on the issue of the border post-Brexit as "megaphone diplomacy". He said he did not think such remarks were of assistance. Senator Daly said the idea of the Brexiteers coming up with an idea of how the border will be managed is foolhardy. He said the EU has said that imaginative solutions needed to be found, and if we were waiting on the Brexiteers for that, we could be waiting a long time, he said. The chair of the committee, Sinn Féin TD Kathleen Funchion said perhaps Mr Varadkar could have been more diplomatic in his tone but she said that it cannot be stressed enough that there cannot be a return of a hard border.[/quote] Note I am aware last recorded poll in NI was for staying in UK but things can change. The times they are a-changing.

Far way to get there from 22% support, people in NI need a reason, not just one liners from Ireland.

[QUOTE=Boilrig;52534031]Far way to get there from 22% support, people in NI need a reason, not just one liners from Ireland.[/QUOTE] I would like think "Brexit" is a big reason.

[QUOTE=BlackMageMari;52534085]I would like think "Brexit" is a big reason.[/QUOTE] 22% was after Brexit for reunification, people know what's coming already, and so far, that's not enough.

[QUOTE=Boilrig;52534094]22% was after Brexit for reunification.[/QUOTE] After the Brexit [I]vote.[/I] It was also held well before the border situation started to get out of hand, before the RHI revelations and before the recent elections. Now I'm not pretending that the United Ireland vote is currently winning up there. Nobody is saying that. I'm pointing out with this article that Brexit has definitely changed things and it's not impossible to imagine with the stark implications of Brexit on the island of Ireland and Northern Ireland in particular, the vote for an reunited Ireland will rise significantly. It needs to be prepared for. After all, wouldn't want a referendum with no plan, would you?

[QUOTE=BlackMageMari;52534109]After the Brexit [I]vote.[/I] It was also held well before the border situation started to get out of hand, before the RHI revelations and before the recent elections. Now I'm not pretending that the United Ireland vote is currently winning up there. Nobody is saying that. I'm pointing out with this article that Brexit has definitely changed things and it's not impossible to imagine with the stark implications of Brexit on the island of Ireland and Northern Ireland in particular, the vote for an reunited Ireland will rise significantly. It needs to be prepared for. After all, wouldn't want a referendum with no plan, would you?[/QUOTE] Northern Ireland and Ireland are stuck in this together, but I don't think the fundamental differences between them should be overlooked, it will take time, and by that time the UK will have left the EU and probably rebuilt its trade, leaving it in a position where people ask 'why reunite'.

Unification is no where near close. NI isn't a normal society, the hardcore unionists would rather die than join with RoI. I've no doubt it will happen eventually, but it's definitely not close. The hardcore unionist majority is slowly declining however as more people are going towards the center parties. Give it another 100 years or so and have Scotland leave the UK and it'll probably happen.

I somewhat doubt this will happen, with the Tories in power right now they require the Northern Ireland support to stay legitimate so they'll do anything to sweeten the deal for them being apart for at least their remaining term in power or even longer than that if the continues to DUP exist.