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Replying To Square_B:  "Tell me you don't understand the GFA without telling me you don't understand it :rolleyes:"
I do. I don't support it for very reason it accepts partition.

That's the whole point of it. Border poll is red herring. Calling one is in power of NI Secretary and he has to have reason ro believe it would pass.

There is none. Parties who support unity get 40%. Same as in 1998!

Not a chance it would pass.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3929 - 20/01/2026 17:30:44    2652166

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Replying To tireoghainabu:  "I read the book in a while of an evening, neither writer wrote with much conviction, probably written for the Christmas market.
Who in god's name ever said that a unity vote in a border poll would ever romp home?"
I definitely know some people who think that it's a done deal if/when a border poll is called. They tend to be younger people granted, with little grasp of all the nuances involved.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 10202 - 20/01/2026 18:06:31    2652172

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Replying To updwell:  "Barney what about convincing the middle ground in the North that joining the Republlic makes more sense to them than staying part of the UK. That to me seems like a more viable and long term solution to a peaceful transition rather than just forcing ourselves on the North and pulling them screaming and roaring into a United Ireland. There will be a percentage in the North who would threaten violence and probably do something but the larger majority that see their future down here the less chance violence would continue. I would love to see a United Ireland one day but the more peaceful the transition the more likely it would last and be stronger."
I'd love to know the percentage of people in the North that at first wanted to be a United Ireland but do not want to be in the EU. Also if you were getting a pension from England and the Border went away would you still be receiving your pension you paid into?

SouthGalway (Galway) - Posts: 172 - 20/01/2026 18:22:38    2652177

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Replying To Freethinker:  "As I would expect, you are correct. A simple majority in polls both sides of the border will suffice. Under the GfA framework, in the event of a vote being defeated it should be at least 7 yrs before it can be reintroduced."
Good auld tireoghainabu and yourself have neglected the politics of it. You're correct however that is not what I was saying at all. Brexit is a good example of what happens when the decision is 50% + 1 vote. If you want the DUP and the likes to be questioning the legitimately of the vote, go ahead and run the vote at the first smell of a win. But if you want it to be legitimate in the eyes of everyone involved, it must have a resounding victory and be done once. Our friends over in Scotland have proven this, they had one shot and blew it. Now it may never come back on the table.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1681 - 20/01/2026 18:30:57    2652179

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Replying To SouthGalway:  "I'd love to know the percentage of people in the North that at first wanted to be a United Ireland but do not want to be in the EU. Also if you were getting a pension from England and the Border went away would you still be receiving your pension you paid into?"
Didn't the North vote to reject Brexit.
There would have to be a lot of negotiations between Dublin, London and Brussels but I'd imagine the British would be happy to give a lot of sweetners to get rid of the 6 counties.

updwell (Limerick) - Posts: 938 - 20/01/2026 19:45:55    2652198

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Replying To Square_B:  "Good auld tireoghainabu and yourself have neglected the politics of it. You're correct however that is not what I was saying at all. Brexit is a good example of what happens when the decision is 50% + 1 vote. If you want the DUP and the likes to be questioning the legitimately of the vote, go ahead and run the vote at the first smell of a win. But if you want it to be legitimate in the eyes of everyone involved, it must have a resounding victory and be done once. Our friends over in Scotland have proven this, they had one shot and blew it. Now it may never come back on the table."
I wasn't debating the pro's or con's of a border poll. I was simply stating that Tireoighn was correct in that by rule, all that's needed is a simple majority. I would be inclined to agree with you in that a sizeable majority would be the better scenario. 50% plus 1 could possibly only embolden dissidents - on either side.

Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 2033 - 20/01/2026 20:14:36    2652201

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