Sir, – Paul Gillespie's analysis on the impact of Brexit on Northern Ireland in Saturday's Irish Times ("Brexit toxic for unionists if it reinforces the North's divergence from the EU", Analysis, February 29th) is a timely contribution to the debate on the future of Northern Ireland. However, this debate has, up to now, focused too narrowly on Irish unification as the sole alternative to Northern Ireland remaining as part of the UK.
For the past 20 years, or so, there has been a growing sense of a Northern Irish identity. In the 2011 Northern Ireland census, 21 per cent identified themselves as Northern Irish, 40 per cent as British, and 25 per cent as Irish. When the possibility of dual nationality was factored in, the acceptance of Northern Irish identity rose from 21 per cent to 29 per cent. This was well before Brexit. If there is a significant increase among people who identify themselves as Northern Irish in next year’s census, a third option should be included in the debate: some form of independent Northern Ireland. – Yours, etc,
DORCHA LEE,
Navan, Co Meath.