Robert
Test Star
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2007
- Runs
- 37,604
- Post of the Week
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In my youth, the proportion was around two Protestants to one Catholic in NI.
But the recent Census shows that there is now a small Catholic majority.
What effect will this have on the reunification movement?
I think that the split between Republican and Loyalist is no longer strongly correlated to religious affiliation.
Lots of youngsters coming up in Protestant homes no longer identify as religious.
The politically Protestant community is ageing as a unit.
The cavalier attitude to the Peace Process exhibited by the Johnson and Truss governments has alienated some NI residents.
A recent survey found that a majority favoured holding a referendum on unity within the next five years, with 47 percent currently in favour of remaining in the United Kingdom and 42 percent supporting a united Ireland. Among the under-45s, reunification led by 47 to 46.
So it looks like the call for reunification is likely to grow. As [MENTION=136108]Donal Cozzie[/MENTION] points out there are a couple of big stumbling blocks. Firstly, the North enjoys NHS cover whereas in the Republic medicine is mostly private. Secondly there are a great many civil servants in NI who might be redundant if NI is ruled from Dublin. Thirdly I cannot see some of the hardcore Orange accepting Dublin rule, especially a Sinn Fein Taoiseach. The possibility of armed uprising exists. Could this be avoided by a devo max deal where Belfast still administrates the Six Counties.
Fascinating years ahead.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/9/irish-reunification-debate-looms-large-as-ni-nears-centenary#:~:text=%E2%80%9CWe%E2%80%99re%20looking%20at%20it%20within%20years%2C%20not%20decades%2C%E2%80%9D,across%20the%20island%20of%20Ireland%20won%E2%80%99t%20wait%20decades.
But the recent Census shows that there is now a small Catholic majority.
What effect will this have on the reunification movement?
I think that the split between Republican and Loyalist is no longer strongly correlated to religious affiliation.
Lots of youngsters coming up in Protestant homes no longer identify as religious.
The politically Protestant community is ageing as a unit.
The cavalier attitude to the Peace Process exhibited by the Johnson and Truss governments has alienated some NI residents.
A recent survey found that a majority favoured holding a referendum on unity within the next five years, with 47 percent currently in favour of remaining in the United Kingdom and 42 percent supporting a united Ireland. Among the under-45s, reunification led by 47 to 46.
So it looks like the call for reunification is likely to grow. As [MENTION=136108]Donal Cozzie[/MENTION] points out there are a couple of big stumbling blocks. Firstly, the North enjoys NHS cover whereas in the Republic medicine is mostly private. Secondly there are a great many civil servants in NI who might be redundant if NI is ruled from Dublin. Thirdly I cannot see some of the hardcore Orange accepting Dublin rule, especially a Sinn Fein Taoiseach. The possibility of armed uprising exists. Could this be avoided by a devo max deal where Belfast still administrates the Six Counties.
Fascinating years ahead.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/9/irish-reunification-debate-looms-large-as-ni-nears-centenary#:~:text=%E2%80%9CWe%E2%80%99re%20looking%20at%20it%20within%20years%2C%20not%20decades%2C%E2%80%9D,across%20the%20island%20of%20Ireland%20won%E2%80%99t%20wait%20decades.
