Primer: Irish Reunification

Over the last few years, the combination of Brexit and the growing percentage of Catholics living in Northern Ireland has sparked more momentum toward Irish unification. British rule on the island has lasted over 700 years, so this is a more complicated issue than it might seem. This week, Political Union is debating the resolution: Ireland should be reunified. 

Unification would lead to better government on the island. Northern Ireland has been politically unstable since the Good Friday agreement that ended The Troubles. From 2017 to 2020, there was not a governing coalition for over 1,000 days – this is simply an unsustainable way to control the region. And the government is inherently inefficient: on an island of less than 7 million people, there are two healthcare systems, two education systems, two treasuries. Economically, Northern Ireland is still a de facto member of the EU despite Brexit, so though new negotiations would need to take place, this would be a more simple process. The loss of British government support could be offset with foreign aid and high investment from the Irish government. Lastly, on a moral level, Northern Ireland is a relic of British imperialism, and it is a mistake that should be rectified. 

But the Northern Irish have agency, and they still wish to remain a devolved government within the United Kingdom. As of February 7, only 34% of the population wanted reunification. Although the status quo is imperfect, the people wish to remain in it, and that’s all that matters. Further, the Troubles was an awful period of terrorism and violence, and only the Good Friday Agreement was able to bring peace. Pushing into disequilibrium could spark more violence and danger, which no one wants to see. And the immediate economic costs to Northern Ireland would be severe. The Northern Irish would lose access to expensive social services, which their taxes have been paying for, and the public sector accounts for a large percentage of employment. It’s not the right time for unification.

Come join our debate this Monday at 7pm in Scott Hall!

"Tricolour - the Irish flag" by Tom Raftery is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.