MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Poll shows that 49% of Irish republic favor a united Ireland
Asked if the Brexit process was negatively affecting Ireland's relationship with Britain, 68% said they felt it was, 19% said no and 13% responding 'Don't Know'. A new poll has found just under half of the Republic's voters want a united Ireland. The results revealed on Irish television Live on Monday night showed 49% in favor, 29% against, and 22% of respondents saying they 'Don't Know'.
The research was carried out on behalf of Claire Byrne Live by Amarach Research and surveyed 1,000 people. Respondents were also quizzed about their views on the impact Brexit was having on Anglo-Irish relations.
Asked if they felt the Brexit process was negatively affecting Ireland's relationship with Britain, 68% said they felt it was, 19% said they thought it wasn't, with 13% responding 'Don't Know'.
A majority of respondents (57%) said they feared a return to violence if customs checks are reintroduced at the border following Brexit.
The new poll comes after a day of fraught negotiations in which a deal between the UK and the EU on the future of the Irish border was scuppered by fierce resistance from the DUP
It had been thought the UK and EU had been close to agreeing on “regulatory alignment” between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to avoid a potential hard border.
It was anticipated Prime Minister Theresa May would spend most of Tuesday in negotiations with DUP MPs in London in an effort to salvage the deal, before flying to Brussels later this week.
Previous polls in the Republic on the possibility of a united Ireland have returned mixed results. A Sunday Business Post / Red C poll in October last year found 65% of respondents saying they would like to see Irish unity as a by-product of Brexit.
Last December, when Claire Byrne Live asked respondents if they thought it was “time to have a united Ireland”, 46% answered yes, 32% answered no, with 22% responding 'Don't Know'.
In March, a poll of 1,200 adults in Ireland carried out on behalf of RTE's This Week program asked respondents if they would back a united Ireland if it came with a price tag of €9bn (£7.95bn) a year.
Results found 33.1% saying they would vote in favor, 32.5% said they would vote against, while 34.4% said they were undecided.
In October, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told a BBC program there would need to be a bigger majority than 50% plus one in a poll to bring about a united Ireland, saying “I really think we should focus on making the agreement that we have work”
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Read all commentsDarragh
Dec 06th, 2017 - 05:26 pm +4I agree completely with what you say. If you are “English” then you do not really have a clue as to how entrenched the views on either side are.
I can remember when the “Troubles” were at their height, many N.Irish sold up and came to the Stranraer region to set up business only to find that they were targeted for extortion by the “patriots” of either denomination.
I was carrying out a VAT examination to a caravan dealer in Galloway. During my visit two individuals with strong Ulster accents came in to see the owner who excused himself to talk to them outside. I could just make out snippets of the conversation. It seems that the business man had missed his last two“voluntary” contributions to the “cause ” and that unpleasant things would happen unless they left with some money. He duly came in and emptied his safe to give the contents to them. In the meantime I was assessing him for underpaid VAT. He had just given them his VAT liability.
What could I say ? In his case I would have done the same. One is very attached to one's kneecaps !
Sorry, this is largely irrelvant - the future of Northern Ireland is largely SOD ALL to do with the Irish republic as regards political unification - That is solely the decision of the people of Northern Ireland to make should they wish to in a democratic free vote if they want to have one.
Dec 06th, 2017 - 11:19 am +3Islander1
Dec 06th, 2017 - 11:26 am +3As a citizen of the Republic of Ireland I have to say that I agree with you 100%.
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