A United Ireland. Opening up the discussion.

[Baile Brigín 2]

I think ultimately it will be 26 onto 6. There might be a devolved assembly, but it's a disaster so would it be a huge sticking point to bin it? The dual citizenship bit would be 99% in place already.

Reality is the 'pitch' would be the 6c experiment has failed, so why would you retain the fail? Migrate as much as possible to Dublin and protect minority rights. I can't see flags and anthems changing.

Stormont is not performing but binning power sharing would be major issue. Put simply it won't happen. The referendum would never take place. There would be no new Ireland to bin it.

Put it another way. There is a referendum in the north and it votes 50.1% in favour of remaining in UK. If unionists tried to use that as a means of getting rid of powers sharing (for either simple majority rule or direct rule from Westminster) then the lawyers, signatories and guarantors would intervene and remind them of the GFA. If the vote went 50.1% the other way, all the same logic, and legal/constitutional clauses would still apply. The new Ireland will have to accommodate this. It's doable. A 32 county unitary republic is not. Real political leadership will be honest about this. Populists will tell people what they want to hear. Surely we are wise to the Trump and Farage ploys by now?

A vote on favour of the status quo retains the status quo. Stormont remains.

A vote for reunification doesn't necessarily keep stormont.

I beg to differ. The GFA will have to be complied with. Not least because it is the means of getting the referendum in the first place.

I reiterate that this is possible to achieve and can be made to work. But powersharing in NI is an essential feature.

Says who? Not the GFA.

[Baile Brigín 2]

And power sharing at National, or Federal or Confederate level?

Maybe. Maybe not.

Again. The reunification pitch will be just that. We are wealthier, healthier and happier in the 26. Join us. Why would we introduce failed 6c things like Stormont?

[Armagh18]

And power sharing at National, or Federal or Confederate level?

It doesn't work...

[dec]

And power sharing at National, or Federal or Confederate level?

It doesn't work...

The Swiss have had a power sharing arrangement among the largest parties for over 60 years

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_formula_(Swiss_politics)

[Armagh18]

And power sharing at National, or Federal or Confederate level?

It doesn't work...

The Swiss have had a power sharing arrangement among the largest parties for over 60 years

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_formula_(Swiss_politics)

I'd be surprised if any of those are as mental as the DUP.

[Rossfan]

Hopefully there will be a practical "Ulster British" Party by then dealing with reality!

[MrsBinfield]

I think ultimately it will be 26 onto 6. There might be a devolved assembly, but it's a disaster so would it be a huge sticking point to bin it? The dual citizenship bit would be 99% in place already.

Reality is the 'pitch' would be the 6c experiment has failed, so why would you retain the fail? Migrate as much as possible to Dublin and protect minority rights. I can't see flags and anthems changing.

Stormont is not performing but binning power sharing would be major issue. Put simply it won't happen. The referendum would never take place. There would be no new Ireland to bin it.

Put it another way. There is a referendum in the north and it votes 50.1% in favour of remaining in UK. If unionists tried to use that as a means of getting rid of powers sharing (for either simple majority rule or direct rule from Westminster) then the lawyers, signatories and guarantors would intervene and remind them of the GFA. If the vote went 50.1% the other way, all the same logic, and legal/constitutional clauses would still apply. The new Ireland will have to accommodate this. It's doable. A 32 county unitary republic is not. Real political leadership will be honest about this. Populists will tell people what they want to hear. Surely we are wise to the Trump and Farage ploys by now?

A vote on favour of the status quo retains the status quo. Stormont remains.

A vote for reunification doesn't necessarily keep stormont.

I beg to differ. The GFA will have to be complied with. Not least because it is the means of getting the referendum in the first place.

I reiterate that this is possible to achieve and can be made to work. But powersharing in NI is an essential feature.

I don't think any nationalist will look twice at Stormont by then and it'll be largely irrelevant

Useless yes. Irrelevant no.

[Armagh18]

Hopefully there will be a practical "Ulster British" Party by then dealing with reality!

We can hope!

[MrsBinfield]

I think ultimately it will be 26 onto 6. There might be a devolved assembly, but it's a disaster so would it be a huge sticking point to bin it? The dual citizenship bit would be 99% in place already.

Reality is the 'pitch' would be the 6c experiment has failed, so why would you retain the fail? Migrate as much as possible to Dublin and protect minority rights. I can't see flags and anthems changing.

Stormont is not performing but binning power sharing would be major issue. Put simply it won't happen. The referendum would never take place. There would be no new Ireland to bin it.

Put it another way. There is a referendum in the north and it votes 50.1% in favour of remaining in UK. If unionists tried to use that as a means of getting rid of powers sharing (for either simple majority rule or direct rule from Westminster) then the lawyers, signatories and guarantors would intervene and remind them of the GFA. If the vote went 50.1% the other way, all the same logic, and legal/constitutional clauses would still apply. The new Ireland will have to accommodate this. It's doable. A 32 county unitary republic is not. Real political leadership will be honest about this. Populists will tell people what they want to hear. Surely we are wise to the Trump and Farage ploys by now?

A vote on favour of the status quo retains the status quo. Stormont remains.

A vote for reunification doesn't necessarily keep stormont.

I beg to differ. The GFA will have to be complied with. Not least because it is the means of getting the referendum in the first place.

I reiterate that this is possible to achieve and can be made to work. But powersharing in NI is an essential feature.

Says who? Not the GFA.

Beg to differ. Happy to consider any point that indicates that GFA is not a permanent framework.

Then there is the practical consideration that GFA will automate complied with as one would be using it as the basis of asking the UK government for a referendum in the first place.

[Baile Brigín 2]

I think ultimately it will be 26 onto 6. There might be a devolved assembly, but it's a disaster so would it be a huge sticking point to bin it? The dual citizenship bit would be 99% in place already.

Reality is the 'pitch' would be the 6c experiment has failed, so why would you retain the fail? Migrate as much as possible to Dublin and protect minority rights. I can't see flags and anthems changing.

Stormont is not performing but binning power sharing would be major issue. Put simply it won't happen. The referendum would never take place. There would be no new Ireland to bin it.

Put it another way. There is a referendum in the north and it votes 50.1% in favour of remaining in UK. If unionists tried to use that as a means of getting rid of powers sharing (for either simple majority rule or direct rule from Westminster) then the lawyers, signatories and guarantors would intervene and remind them of the GFA. If the vote went 50.1% the other way, all the same logic, and legal/constitutional clauses would still apply. The new Ireland will have to accommodate this. It's doable. A 32 county unitary republic is not. Real political leadership will be honest about this. Populists will tell people what they want to hear. Surely we are wise to the Trump and Farage ploys by now?

A vote on favour of the status quo retains the status quo. Stormont remains.

A vote for reunification doesn't necessarily keep stormont.

I beg to differ. The GFA will have to be complied with. Not least because it is the means of getting the referendum in the first place.

I reiterate that this is possible to achieve and can be made to work. But powersharing in NI is an essential feature.

Says who? Not the GFA.

Beg to differ. Happy to consider any point that indicates that GFA is not a permanent framework.

Then there is the practical consideration that GFA will automate complied with as one would be using it as the basis of asking the UK government for a referendum in the first place.

You are claiming it is permanent. Up to you to back up that claim.

I had a quick check there. It ends on reunification. Both treaties are based on and about British rule.

[Rossfan]

You might quote that bit.

In reality a new All Ireland Agreement will need to keep a lot of the GFA provisions just as a new Constitution will keep many of the provisions of the existing Bunreacht na hÉireann.

An awful lot of negotiating, devising and agreeing to be done.

Meanwhile Sinn Féin and its adherents will sit on the sidelines parroting "The Taoiseach has to do it"

[Baile Brigín 2]

You might quote that bit.

In reality a new All Ireland Agreement will need to keep a lot of the GFA provisions just as a new Constitution will keep many of the provisions of the existing Bunreacht na hÉireann.

An awful lot of negotiating, devising and agreeing to be done.

Meanwhile Sinn Féin and its adherents will sit on the sidelines parroting "The Taoiseach has to do it"

Will need? What new constitution? You might not even need a referendim to remove articles 2 and 3

Might do for practical reasons, but won't need to.

The likely reality is the referendum will pass and then the negotiations will begin. Unionists won't be negotiating from a position of strength. Dublin won't squeeze them for the craic, that would store up trouble, but I can't see radical change either.

[weareros]

The next LucidTalk united Ireland poll will likely be published late October. There was a 7 point margin in Feb 2025 (if a vote held now) question. 48-41. Should be interesting.

[Rossfan]

Excerpt from a "Rural Ireland" survey (26 Cos only I presume)

Three out of five people living in rural Ireland now want to see a united Ireland.

The latest Irish Examiner/Ipsos B&A Rural Ireland Thinks survey has also shown that the number of rural dwellers who "strongly agree" that there should be unity on the island has increased from 34% in 2024, to 38% in the latest poll.

While the number of people who agree with a united Ireland now stands at 59%, almost one in 10 (9%) are still strongly against the idea.

[Milltown Row2]

Was there a level put in? strongly, not bother, happy either way,  strongly for it?