Sir, – I am sorry that I succeeded in winding up Martin Mansergh (Letters, July 27th) who I know to be a romantic united Irelander.
I welcome his confirmation that Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has not suggested the majority in Northern Ireland would vote for a united Ireland in a Border poll as a result of the Brexit vote. That is political realism which is not shared by Sinn Féin and some in Fine Gael.
Brexit has major implications for the Republic which, more than any other EU nation will suffer. The UK is its main trading partner – 55 per cent of its agri products go to the UK. The depreciation of sterling will damage the tourist industry and encourage Irish shoppers to go to Northern Ireland.
The Republic’s contribution to the EU budget will have to be increased. It is difficult to see what action the Government in Dublin can take to overcome these challenges unless the Republic decides to exit the EU the same day as the UK.
After all, it did join the EEC the same day as the UK. Realism then prevailed. Could realism once again prevail?
– Yours, etc,
LORD KILCLOONEY
Mullinure, Co Armagh.
A chara, – The claim as reported in The Irish Times (July 26th) that the South would have [in the event of unification] to "replace the enormous fiscal transfers which London currently makes" exaggerates the situation. Firstly, the British have refused to provide all of the data on how much is taken by the British exchequer from the North.
Recent studies have shown that the whole population of the island would benefit economically from Irish unity. In one report, Modeling Irish Unification, it was shown that there could be a €35.6 billion boost in an all-island GDP in the first eight years of unification.
Late last year economist Michael Burke's paper, The Economic Case for Irish Unity, concluded "the whole population of Ireland would benefit economically from reunification".
In January the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation said evidence “suggested that there are potential economic benefits which would be secured through the full integration and unification of the economy of Ireland.”
If the Brexit vote has done anything it has thrown into sharp relief the damaging consequences of partition and the fact that in a changing EU it does not make sense that one part of this small island will be in the EU and the other part outside. – Is mise,
GERRY ADAMS TD
Sinn Féin President
Kildare Street,
Dublin 2.