There are deceitful people who ask the population if they’d vote for a reunited Ireland or staying the UK tomorrow. Yes, we know how it is to be in the UK (you get your wishes on remaining in the EU cast aside, for starters); but we don’t what work is required to get a border poll in place so people can vote in a rational fashion. There is a LOT of work needs attended before we set up UI polling booths, but here are just three to be going on with
Eligibility
So, who would be allowed to vote. Well, all Irish (or British) people in the North and South. But do they have to be Irish or British citizens?What about the thousands of people from other countries that now live here – do they have to find a way to citizenship before they get voting? How long do they have to be living in Ireland? Oh, and what age should voters be – 18 or more? 16 or more? Fifteen?
The Question
What should be asked exactly, and in what form? Should staying in the UK come first? Or wishing to live in a new Ireland? Would that matter? Should there be little add-ons in the Question, like ‘Do you think the new Ireland flag should be the tricolour?’ Or ‘Should the national anthem of a new Ireland be Amhrån na bhFiann? Or should those be matters left to discuss after people have voted. (Thinks: that might be a bit dumb.)
Pre-Poll Dialogue
Should there be discussion between all political parties about what they’d like included in a new Ireland? What if some parties refuse to discuss – would the border poll still go ahead? Would the conclusion of such discussions be handed over to a Citizens’ Assembly? (Right – would you say a Citizens’ Assembly should be at the heart of all this? Made up of how many people and how representative?
It’s when you start committing stuff to paper (or screen, indeed, Virginia) that you realise how much hard thinking and even decision-making is necessary before they open the poll-booths. Preparation will require serious exercise of the brain. As to the outcome, one can only hope that it will cater to the hearts of Irish people of all stripes.
O Leary deals with this stuff in his book. Some things need to be done but the Republic of Ireland hasn’t been murdering its citizens during its first hundred years, whereas the UK has. So that is a point in its favour.
Jude, you know this is unhelpful and gets unionist backs up. But still you keep on. Are you deliberately trying to annoy them? You know that there will never be a UI. Nor a change to Article 6 of the Act of Union what we all voted for.
When is the subject of reparations going to be brought up? Britain will have to pay compensation for the misery it has caused here. Fifty billion Euros sounds like a good start. That will pay for people’s pensions and health care, I think it would actually encourage some unionists with a small u to vote for unity, which could swing the result our way.