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?

The idea of Ireland rejoining the commonwealth is laughable. That just wouldn't be supported by the Irish electorate.

I want ye. I just want to make sure it works though. We want to avoid another troubles because the unionists have been dragged unwillingly in to a united Ireland.

I think 10 years may be too soon. We need a decent majority in the north supporting it to make it work.

Partition is a huge financial burden on the north-west. Derry and its Donegal hinterland should be thriving city - massive scope for specialization in developments of renewables and of the marine sector, but as things have been for the last century it doesn't even have efficient rail and road connectivity with the rest of NI, never mind a properly supported university - and the rate at which the UK is smashing its universities suggests that latter won't happen except in a 32 county Ireland.

Some older people (over 50s) in RoI sometimes still see the Irish economy as it was when they were young - it isn't like that now, and the N-W (and the west generally) has tremendous underused potential. We just need to get away from an east-coast, other-island focussed view of how we trade and create and export. Real life isn't other-island focussed any more - look at all the new ferry connections with France.

I'm an Irish nationalist living in NI. My husband is from Outside Dublin. All of our southern friends and family would vote against a united Oreland as they have no appetite to work with the bigoted DUP, TUV types. They also recognise the financial burden reunification would present.

We plan to move south very soon. When the broadcasters give credence to thugs like Jamie Bryson by allowing him airtime they damage the political reputation here when it was starting to improve.

Sinn Fein may be showing they are adult and politically savvy enough to win elections here but they aren't taken seriously enough in the mature voters in the south to win there.

I think if we have a referendum it will be as catastrophic as Brexit.

I don't think even think it's about the numbers. An unhappy minority can still make life hell for the rest of us. I think more than anything NI needs time to heal its wounds, move further away from the anger before any more upheaval. We need calm.

That's one of the reasons I was so angry about Brexit, it really risked (risks!) that calm.

I would like to see the island of Ireland become one country. I cannot see there being a referendum within the next ten years though. I'd think a possibility if there was one would be a no vote, a combination of those who never want Ireland to be one country and those who would think now is not the right time for a number of reasons.

Economically, NI is a complete basket case and a massive drain on the U.K. taxpayer, so Dublin would be welcome to take over subsidising the place. And the sooner the better.

Absolutely. I agree it's not just about numbers. It's about hearts and mindsets. You will never get 100%. However, a good majority with the right mindset is likely to make it work. Getting that mindset change will take time.

A different tax regime for political parties and charities, and the Criminal Assets Bureau might surprise quite a few people in NI. Admittedly, there are huge potential problems - lots of people in secret societies, lots of people unemployed and borderline criminal. But there are also lots of people in NI open to a better economic and social outcome for themselves and their families.

It remains to be seen what if anything the new Stormont will be able to do, but it's fascinating to see a power structure in NI dominated by women.

I'm not convinced for a second that it's the women who are in charge!

I must admit, this attitude is the reason nationalism is rising in NI.

It's unfortunate blind DUP, TUV tribal voters don't see it.

So thanks @BarelyLiterate for putting it in black and white. Let's hope it serves to educate my deluded neighbours as to what the brits really think of us.

😂I just spat out my coffee!

@gingercat02 I live in the ROI and I'm not remotely misty eyed about a United Ireland. I've posted here before about the practical and financial difficulties a United Ireland would pose.

Take health, for example. Those of you in NI enjoy free healthcare. In the ROI it's means tested. People on low incomes get free healthcare while those on average to high incomes have to pay for everything. Or pay for health insurance to mitigate those costs. Do we extend free healthcare to all in a United Ireland and how much will this cost the new Irish state? Or do we remove free healthcare from the residents of the former NI? Which will go down like a lead balloon.

Then consider education. We study seven subjects for the Leaving Cert. (one of them being Irish which is a compulsory subject). University entrance is dependent on the results of your six best subjects. My understanding is that you take A Levels in the UK and study fewer subjects. Which education system should we adopt in a United Ireland? Will the Unionist population in the former NI be happy to study Irish?

These are just two examples off the top of my head. I'm sure there are loads more. A United Ireland would entail a huge amount of planning and a lot of compromises would have to be made - on both sides. There are precedents of course. Germany managed it and would probably be happy to offer advice and support. But I think there was a strong desire from the people in the East and West to come together. I'm not sure that the same desire exists on the island of Ireland, especially amongst the Loyalist population who perceive themselves as British. If they're dragged kicking and screaming into a United Ireland, how likely is it that they will make compromises? Or take orders from a Dublin government? That's actually my biggest concern. We've seen how long it took to restore power sharing in NI. Will every new government bill in the new United Ireland be bogged down in argument and acrimony? Will we make any progress at all?

It's not that we (in the ROI) don't want you. Ironically, we care about the fate of NI and its people far more than many in the UK, who would happily cast off NI and leave it to its own fate. But a United Ireland would have huge repercussions for all of the people who inhabit our island and it's not something we should rush into. I think it was a very ill-judged and divisive comment from Michelle O'Neill. As First Minister of NI she should be building bridges between the two communities - not pandering to hardline Republicans and sowing further discord.

i have family in Belfast and I think they all support the idea of a United Ireland but don’t think it will ever happen. Cultural reasons mainly and I agree Ulster residents are more similar to the Scots than RoI.
a United ireland would basically be a brand new country with a new identity, flag, anthem etc.
how would people ever agree?
imagine asking roi to change their tricolour and what would it change to? Not insurmountable as the British union flag shows combining flags can make a better one but still what’s the benefit for RoI?
and that’s before the loss of nhs, bbc, royal institutions, pension arrangements/ liabilities etc.
yes can all be discussed and agreed but what an upheaval and very time consuming when there are countless other things to do.
i also think that the U.K. government is keener to hang on to the north than ever in the past for defence reasons. It likely doesn’t trust Ireland for military reasons as Ireland has always acted against England’s security in the past and likely would in the future too.

And your authority basis for this farrago of nonsense is having ‘cousins in Belfast’?

I suggest you do some reading.

I think the idea of a united Ireland is a very 'romantic' one.
The practicalities would be a nightmare.
Ireland do not want the financial drain of re-unification.
I think to the 'man on the street' reunification of Ireland is way down their list of worries .
I live in NI . I live in a rural town .
In my town we have
Lack of dentist
Lack of gp appointments
Lack of housing for the indigenous population.
A town with a huge drug problem .
A town with over crowded schools .
A town where the population has exploded.

NI is a total mess and England want rid of us and Ireland doesn't want us.

So I don't think a united Ireland will be in my lifetime .

Probably a unionist spouting absolute rubbish regarding the Ulster Scots comment. The North has no benefit to the UK, it wants rid, unlike the poor Scots, they're well and truly lumbered.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Ireland_fiscal_balance#

I have a nationalist background and my Mum two brothers and a sister live in Norn Iron. I visit regularly. Have both British and Irish passports.

Over 90% of people in Ireland voted for the Good Friday Agreement and about 70% in Northern Ireland, via the referendum.

I think an all Ireland referendum on unification would be a yes.

Personally think it should be sooner.

Yesterday was a historic moment and I loved it.

@Maverick66

There's already reciprocal agreements re health care and agriculture between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Northern Ireland would be back in the EU on reunification and would benefit financially from it.

There's already new roads being built via EU funding.

Very interesting thread. I find a lot of people in Ireland very puzzled and scared of NI. Many of them have never visited and feel it's full of mad DUP types.

Friends of mine who have moved away also have a very dated view of NI as well.

Brexit has taught people you need to know what you're signing up for so any "new Ireland" would need to be clear about exactly how health / judicial / education systems would work / merge.

The huge NI public sector is very off putting as well.

A bloke on RTÉ radio just said all the polls and surveys in RoI indicate two-thirds in favour of unification, whereas in NI it's two-thirds against. He also said it was Mary-Lou McDonald who suggested reunification soon, and Michelle O'Neill damped it down hard saying the important thing is to work in Stormont to get things working properly in NI. I said she was the impressive one.

A recent TwitX poll on whether Unionists would have seats and voices in Seanad Eireann immediately after any reunification (and prior to all-Ireland elections) got more than 90% in favour. Flags? the Green flag with a harp on it flew over the GPO in 1916, if NI doesn't want the orange faction represented on the national flag, I'm sure that could be arranged.

The support for the GFA in ROI included giving up any constitutional claim on the North. I'm from Dublin and live in the North and don't see any appetite for reunification on either side of the border.