Unity debate and the economy

Sir, – One of the more striking findings from the recent Irish Times/ARINS poll is that 38 per cent of voters in the North would be more likely to vote for a united Ireland if it meant they would be £3,500 better off (“Irish Times/ARINS poll: Support for united Ireland is strong, but debate on costs and compromises to come first”, News, December 2nd). This attitude is particularly significant given that no detailed prospectus for reunification has as yet been set out.

Coincidentally a recent report produced jointly by the Resolution Foundation and the London School of Economics shows that 15 years of relative decline across the UK, with productivity growth at half the rate seen across other advanced economies, has cost the average worker there £10,700 a year in lost pay growth.

The report also notes that nine million younger workers have never worked in an economy with sustained average wage rises.

In this context, an Irish Government that was serious about reunification and simply presented it as the pathway from inequality and economic stagnation to better living standards, sustained investment, quality jobs and a social security system that doesn’t abandon people would quite likely make it happen.