Increase in number of Irish people in favour of united Ireland

Map of Eurpoe with united Ireland. copyright Asarlaí cc4

New figures show that over two thirds of Irish people are now in favour of a united Ireland.
A poll by the Sunday Business Post/Red C showed that there has been a slight rise in the number of people in favour of reuniting the Republic and the North since July when the figure was 65%.

The figure is now 67% and could indicate that the increase could be a bi-product of the UK’s vote to leave the EU – especially as the people of Northern Ireland had voted to remain.
Map of Eurpoe with united Ireland. copyright Asarlaí cc4
The new figure is 10% higher than in 2010, when Red C first put the question to the polls.
Following the Brexit result in June, Sinn Féin called for a referendum on a united Ireland.
However, in July, Northern Ireland Secretary, James Brokenshire said that this wouldn’t happen as the conditions needed to require a referendum on Irish unity had not been met.
He said: “The conditions are set out very clearly in relation to the Belfast Agreement and I have been very clear that I do not think those conditions have been met.”
Elsewhere, Red C’s poll revealed that over half of people in the border counties of the South were planning to head North to take advantage of the weak pound. Overall, one third of people in the South said they may go to the North for a spot of bargain hunting.
Last year, a poll jointly commissioned by RTÉ and BBC found that 66% of people wanted a united Ireland, but the figure fell to just 31% if it meant an increase in tax.

Written by Michael Kehoe @michaelcalling