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United Ireland referendum is ‘inevitable' following last year’s Brexit vote

Andy Wells
·Freelance Writer
<em>A referendum on a united Ireland may be ‘inevitable’ (Rex)</em>
A referendum on a united Ireland may be ‘inevitable’ (Rex)

A referendum on whether Ireland should be fully united is “inevitable” after the Brexit vote, according to the author of a new report.

Mark Daly, the Fianna Fáil Senator, urged both Dublin and London to prepare for the possibility of a vote for a united Ireland.

He said that there should not be a repeat of the lack of preparations over the possibility that Britain would vote to leave the EU.

Mr Daly wrote in the report: “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.”

<em>Northern Ireland voted to Remain in last year’s Brexit vote (Rex)</em>
Northern Ireland voted to Remain in last year’s Brexit vote (Rex)

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.”

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The report – titled Brexit and the Future of Ireland: Uniting Ireland and its People in Peace and Prosperity – outlines options for Ireland in the wake of the Brexit vote, including a special status for Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland voted against Brexit in the referendum, by 56% to 44%, and would be able to rejoin the EU in a united Ireland.

The terms of the Good Friday Agreement mean the UK Government must allow a referendum on a united Ireland if polls show there is support for one.

A BBC poll in September 2016 showed just 22% wanting a united Ireland, compared to 63% who wanted to remain part of the UK.