Do you think there will be a united Ireland before the end of the decade?

[KenDodd]

Yabu = no
Yanbu = yes

Ideologically, I would love it, but I'm not sure it would be possible economically, as several others have said.

I think it would be tough for a few years but I do believe eventually both countries would work better as one unit and would be worth it.

But again, as someone from the ROI, I think it would absolutely have to be NI's choice to join us and I think as a country we owe it them to do that if they wanted to

I actually came across a person online during the Brexit debates who thought ROI was still part of Britain.............

I had an argument with a customer services person in England a few years ago. They were extremely adamant that Ireland was part of the UK and couldn't understand why I wouldn't give them a postcode (that was pre-Eircode days).

Ideologically, I would love it, but I'm not sure it would be possible economically, as several others have said.

Given the support given to Germany from the EU for reunification, I would expect a lot of financial support so it wouldn't be as bad we might anticipate.

@AryaStarkWolf - But again, as someone from the ROI, I think it would absolutely have to be NI's choice to join us and I think as a country we owe it them to do that if they wanted to

I agree with you completely. I also think if it is a fully consensual unification, with no violence in the aftermath, that NI would thrive in a way that hasn't happened so far.

Ignoring classical examples, has any modern republic become a Monarchy again ? Which is what Ireland "joining" the UK would involve.

Does Spain count? Although that went from a Dictatorship to a Monarchy.

I had an argument with a customer services person in England a few years ago. They were extremely adamant that Ireland was part of the UK and couldn't understand why I wouldn't give them a postcode (that was pre-Eircode days).

Don't get me started. When I first lived in England, I went to apply for my first UK NI number, and had to convince three different people, including a supervisor, at a Jobcentre, that no, I couldn't 'just use my Irish one, because it's a;ll the same system, isn't it'.

I actually came across a person online during the Brexit debates who thought ROI was still part of Britain.............

Well at least one MP thought that.

I agree with you completely. I also think if it is a fully consensual unification, with no violence in the aftermath, that NI would thrive in a way that hasn't happened so far

Yeah I do too, it would take some adjustments and it would be a struggle for a while I think, but surely as one bigger country we would both end up better off in the long run..........we would definitely have a better national soccer team as well :p

Those examples are crazy @Limpetlike and @OchonAgusOchonO. I mean OK I get that Britain kind of ignores their part in Irish history a lot but how can you not even now the basic geography of your own country?

I totally agree that GB neither noticed nor cared about the destructive force of the DUP until it affected them.

Does Spain count? Although that went from a Dictatorship to a Monarchy.

I think you have answered your own question.

I'm not Irish - nor do I play an Irish person on TV - so I'm only guessing. But I imagine the appetite for the RoI to suddenly start licking the boots of the Windsor family (again) is rather niche.

Are there any serious political parties in RoI that want to join the UK ? That should settle the debate ....

but how can you not even now the basic geography of your own country?

The combination of ignorance and confidence is a particular characteristic of a certain type of Englishness I think. It’s mental.

how can you not even now the basic geography of your own country?

It's baffling. You would wonder about an education system that produces so many people who don't know where the borders of their own country are located.

Are there any serious political parties in RoI that want to join the UK ?

Of course not

It’s inconceivable to people here.

What the non-Irish need to understand is that, rightly or wrongly, most Irish people see the union they had with U.K. as basically abusive and exploitative. Why would anyone want to return to that?

@DGRossetti - But I imagine the appetite for the RoI to suddenly start licking the boots of the Windsor family (again) is rather niche.

It's not even niche. And we were never very good at licking those boots.

Are there any serious political parties in RoI that want to join the UK ? That should settle the debate ....

There aren't even any non-serious parties.

But again, as someone from the ROI, I think it would absolutely have to be NI's choice to join us and I think as a country we owe it them to do that if they wanted to

I agree with you completely. I also think if it is a fully consensual unification, with no violence in the aftermath, that NI would thrive in a way that hasn't happened so far

Two excellent points, I totally agree.

It would be interesting to see what could be done now to foster connection and cultural exchange between the unionists of NI and the ROI. Arlene and Leo’s good relationship is a starting point.

It will take time for this to come to fruition, but I believe in seeds being sown sooner not later.

As a child, I benefitted hugely from cross community (and cross border) initiatives in my area. And that stuff all bore fruit in the GFA.

You would wonder about an education system that produces so many people who don't know where the borders of their own country are located.

Are we talking about England or the US ?

I don’t think I’ve heard an Irish person express an interest in rejoining the U.K. (or even joining the Commonwealth) in my life.

@AryaStarkWolf, I honestly don't know. I formed the impression that a significant number of people, even those who were well into adulthood during the Troubles, NI is a sort of vague mental blur with the IRA and bombs sort of emerging at moments from the general mist.

The thing that blew my mind completely, though, when the DUP took on their new prominence in Westminster in recent years, was that many people in England had no idea there were loyalist paramilitaries.

Are we talking about England or the US ?

I'm talking about the UK. A poor system in another jurisdiction doesn't excuse the UK system. As far as I'm aware, the Scottish and NI systems aren't as poor in this regard as England (does Wales have the same system as England?).

@LaurieMarlow - What the non-Irish need to understand is that, rightly or wrongly, most Irish people see the union they had with U.K. as basically abusive and exploitative. Why would anyone want to return to that?

I don't think anyone could see the Irish attitude as wrong. The union was abusive and exploitative. There is no rightly or wrongly about it.

It would be interesting to see what could be done now to foster connection and cultural exchange between the unionists of NI and the ROI. Arlene and Leo’s good relationship is a starting point.

Yes, I think that would be a fantastic start. I also think ensuring all schools are mixed would help too. I think the catholic church is the biggest barrier there though.

I'm talking about the UK. A poor system in another jurisdiction doesn't excuse the UK system. As far as I'm aware, the Scottish and NI systems aren't as poor in this regard as England (does Wales have the same system as England?).

Notice I said "England", not "UK" or "Britain".

I was trying to joke about the US, but generally, a lot of US citizens do really struggle with the concept of "rest of the world". Although they don't seem to be quite as thick about Canada as the English are about the RoI - in a relative sense.

I also think ensuring all schools are mixed would help too. I think the catholic church is the biggest barrier there though.

Do you mean in NI? Doesn't the rise of Educate Together and similar secular schools in Ireland suggest people may be moving on from the 'not practicing Catholics but unwilling to rock the boat and will just go ahead with baptism, communion, confirmation and Catholic school' situation?

I say this as someone very newly back in Ireland with a primary-age child after many years abroad -- he's at a heavily-oversubscribed ET school, and there are more opening locally.

Do you mean in NI?

Yes, I mean in NI.