🔗 Share this article Irish Unification Referendum Cannot Transform Into 'A Repeat of Brexit', Commentators Caution A decade following the UK entered into a rushed referendum that polarised the country and triggered disorder, a warning comes from beyond the Irish Sea: it may occur once more. Authorities and citizens drifted into Brexit and the similar may happen with a national vote on a united Ireland, initiating upheavals for which no one is prepared. That represents the warning from two prominent journalists from each side of the Irish border who have teamed up to analyse the benefits and drawbacks of Northern Ireland departing the UK to create a different country with the Republic of Ireland. Political Establishments Ill-Equipped The author and columnist and The Northern Ireland editor, have found that the government bodies in Ireland and Britain are extremely ill-prepared for a possibly tense and transformative public vote. "The key takeaway of Brexit remains unheeded, which is that events can emerge unexpectedly and can gain traction rapidly," the commentator remarked. "I would suggest that the political architecture of our islands remains extremely volatile." Book Publication Seeks to Provoke Discussion The pair have examined the political, economic and societal reasons for any structural alteration in a publication, The Case For and Against Unification, released by the Dublin-based Royal Irish Academy. They seek to provoke discussion on the issue with a series of public talks that will take them to Westminster in the coming weeks. "What haunts everybody, or must worry every person, is the Brexit referendum of 2016," said O’Toole. "We do not want a referendum on a binary, unclear proposal whose results have remained undefined because then you end up with an highly split population where people who have lost are resistant to losing and the victorious side are uncertain exactly what it is that they have won." Governmental Mandate Under the Good Friday agreement, the Northern Ireland secretary of state should call a referendum on Irish unity if it seems probable that a most voters would support. Sinn Féin and other nationalists argue that moment is approaching, and a group named Ireland’s Future has built momentum, but authorities in Dublin and London and pro-UK factions downplay the possibility, leaving it unclear if and when there could be a referendum. Lack of Substantive Discussion Political rhetoric supporting and opposing unity has obscured the lack of informed dialogue, said the journalist. "Many are for or against the idea but the concrete planning which might go beyond that to achieve it hasn't for the most part happened. Much has taken place in scholarly circles but scarcely any government figures or activists want to engage even with the essentials. To illustrate, what sort of state might be preferred? Unitary? Federal?" Book's Approach In the volume, none of the commentators supports unification or the existing arrangement. They writes two pieces that seek impartiality in detailing the case for a united Ireland and the argument opposing it, marshalling economic and social data, past examples and constitutional models. Debates cover identity markers, duties, healthcare systems, elderly benefits, sovereign debt obligations and the risk of loyalist violence. The aim is to inform and encourage discussion. "Considerable attention exists in the issue but there has not yet occurred a discussion," stated O’Toole. "Dialogue indicates an acknowledgement of the idea that there might be valid points on either side." Parallel Votes A public vote in Northern Ireland would simultaneously prompt one in the republic, where voters report they prefer unity but oppose paying higher taxes or implementing a new flag to recognise unionists' UK heritage. "Authorities in Dublin does need to determine what the offer from nationalist groups is other than just declaring: 'We seek a unified Ireland and we value you'," stated O’Toole. Probability of Referendum The journalist thinks a national vote in his generation is likely and that it might occur unexpectedly. "It is possible just a mad or a poor or a feckless official who says: 'We should proceed and settle the matter.'" Both nationalists and pro-UK supporters have credible, justified perspectives, he commented. "One side will win here and the other side will in the end not succeed but all factions has possesses valuable insights to gain from the other's arguments." Request for Wider Discussion Westminster must join the debate, stated O’Toole. "This concerns Britain. It's a British question as much as it is an Irish issue."