Michelle O'Neil has said she thinks we'll have a reunification referendum in the next 10 years.

[TooBigForMyBoots]

Is that enough time for Britain to right itself and become sufficiently functional for NI to vote Remain?

I think she is right, certainly 10 years for the border poll.
I think it would be carried narrowly enough in the South.

I'm kind of dreading the next 10 years.

If reunification comes it will be because of decline in the UK. I think the EU will throw enough money at it to make it desirable.

That's the thing, there's not so much idealism now. I think enough people in NI are more concerned about their children's future than their grandfather's beliefs.

These discussions always make me feel so shite as a Republican from the North. Noone wants us 😅

That's just cause we're too clever, uppity and unapologetic.✊️😆

It's a question for the people of the island of Ireland, and I wouldn't presume to have an opinion on it personally. I can certainly see the appeal for many people, but it would also involve a lot of complexities that might make things difficult for both NI and ROI.

The UK has really screwed NI over with Brexit, so I can imagine that even a lot of unionists might be starting to question whether or not it's really in their interests to remain in the UK.

I can only hope that, whatever happens, it happens democratically and peacefully. There has been enough violence and suffering on both sides already.

I will embrace reunification whole-heartedly if we can have an all-Ireland conversation about replacing ‘Ireland’s Call’ with something less godawful. I mean, I know why it exists, but it’s desperate.

I love Ireland's Call. I know all the words which is more than I can say for God Save the Queen or the Soldier's Song.

Maybe we could have Linger by the Cranberries as our new NA.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G6Kspj3OO0s

I very much doubt the 3 counties of Ulster that are part of the Republic would want to join with NI to become an independent Ulster.
Donegal will be building that wall

Not going to happen.

The only way to expedite any such referendum is to make NI not work, which in turn would make people want change. A working NI (which entails having a functioning devolved government) means the vast manority of people will not advocate for change. It's that simple. The DUP (a backward group of fundamentalist nutters (Free Presbyterians (Calvinists), Earth 6000 yrs old etc.)) have finally woken up and recognised this fact by agreeing to get the assembly back up and running (their advisors have obviously forced their hand). They are now second fiddle to Sinn Fein, but they come up smelling of roses because they look like statemen (and women)..."oh look at us, we have put the wee country ahead of our own egos". They also made a clever move by putting forward some obscure woman from their party as deputy first minister; the optics don't look anywhere near as bad had it been a more senior DUP member and a male.

O'Neill (and Sinn Fein) are now in a no win situation. They are now in charge (the deputy has equal power, but ultimately O'Neill is the leader), so them making the country work means stability, thus fewer will vote to change this. Alternatively, if they don't make it work, they will damage their own brand and lose all electability among those of us who are moderates. Being the opposition (which they were for so long) they were in the pig's back as the scrutiny is on those who lead.

Having been a nationalist when I was younger/naive, I've far more faith in the grown ups in the room (those in Westminster) than the tribal, backward types we have here. I'm Irish, but I'd definitely vote to remain in the UK for the forseeable.

If the UK doesn't work NI will vote to leave it. And the UK isn't working.

I disagree that the DUP comes out of the recent debacle well. Staunch Unionists are really pissed off with them for selling out to the UK and agreeing to play second fiddle to SF. They're in the position of the UUP 20 years ago.

They'll retain some votes but will lose a lot to TUV and UUP.

There hasn't been anything resembling a grown up in the room in Westminster since Theresa May.

@Salaaaaaaaah The north is full of old unionists and young nationalists. There's major demographic change coming down the tracks. Unionism is already a minority in four of the six counties and both of the big coastal cities. A hard border will never return to Ireland. Political unification will inexorably follow economic and social unification. Describing Westminster as being the 'grownups' is an hilarious take alright though.

I hope I see it in my lifetime but it will be a good few years yet but it will happen and should happen when the time is right.

I'm Irish and from the Republic. I don't want reunification.Whats the benefit for us?

I have to take exception to the term “lumbered”. Charming.

As a law abiding, tax paying, contributing member of society exactly how have I “lumbered” the other parts of the UK?

I'm from a republican background. But I don't think the binary In/Out Yes/No is at all helpful. If one side wins a Referendum by 3% or less it will cause endless ructions. Brexit taught us that if it taught us nothing else!

On holiday in Donegal recently I met a man from a solidly unionist background - father a police inspector , Orange Lodge etc. He thought some federal arrangement would work best. A lot of unionist people are pissed off about Brexit , especially small businesses, but they will never support Sinn Féin. The Alliance party will be the beneficiaries of their disgust.

I'm inclined to agree with him. Stormont will have to stay for the foreseeable. And the Republic has to up its game on health service etc in any event.

Ps...But what form such a federation should take is the real question. There are models of course - German Lander , Swiss cantons. Anything is better than going back to violence as my Belfast cabbie said.

I get the impression that Irish civil servants have been doing a lot of planning and tweaking in preparation for unification - every budget there's something to close the gap between expectations in NI and reality in RoI.

The best selling-point would be huge investment in the western corridor - proper trains from Cork to Buncrana with rapid links to the cities, university hubs, airports, and deep-water harbours along the way, and shifting water- and power-hungry industry - mainly IT and data centres to that zone. That way Dublin could stay the size it is and housing (and dear god please, hospitals) could be built in the new growth zone. I can see Sinn Fein being very interested in that.

Then if the FBI continues to help facilitate a stamp down on the Loyalist / Dublin drug gangs and all their social control and protection rackets, things could move on.

GB being a basket case will help.

Michelle O'Neill is a much more impressive figure than Mary-Lou McDonald - don't know how M-L feels about that.

There might be, though I’m not sure Ireland would welcome the extra work and financial grief, nor NI the loss of the NHS (still better than the HSE).

Of course it will happen but I think a longer slower plan will be best.

I've far more faith in the grown ups in the room (those in Westminster)

The last decade has highlighted how self serving and corrupt the Westminster government has been. It's a propaganda to believe Westminster is full of "wise people" and it's comes from predjudice beliefs that are rooted in the distant past (Empire) rather than reality.

Reunification, longterm is highly likely however ideally it would be a soft integration with slow harmonising over a generation, rather than a cliff edge referendum. NI needs to have a period of stability and low conflict.

I'm from a unionist background but have never agreed with the No Surrender paiseyites. I have lived in England for 34 years now, but I have always considered myself to be Irish.

I think once the people of Ireland see past the dream of a united Ireland, they will realise the North will be a huge financial burden.

I have many friends, both North and South of the border, who get misty eyed about reunification, but the reality is very different.

No NHS (pay to see the GP anyone?), no (British) public sector jobs, worse state benefits, etc.

I also have family who claim they will leave NI if there is reunification (which I don't believe)

I think there's a tendency in Ireland to assume that NI would just be absorbed into Ireland as it is. But the idea of Ireland rejoining a commonwealth as a nod to unionists was floated recently and many felt it would be a retrograde step. I'm not sure what would need to be done to make compromises on flags and anthems acceptable. I think cultural issues would scupper the deal before fiscal ones.

I think once the people of Ireland see past the dream of a united Ireland, they will realise the North will be a huge financial burden.

I’m with you there @gingercat02 we definitely see that and it is the main concern in the Republic. But also I lived in Scotland and culturally NI is really similar to that more than it is to ROI. If Scotland were to leave the UK too and federal arrangements and agreements owere reached then I think there would be better outcomes.