Sir, – As there is no meaningful dialogue on Irish unity in the North, Michael McDowell predicts a renegotiation of the Belfast Agreement ("Renegotiation of Belfast Agreement looks inevitable", Opinion & Analysis, April 20th).
Why not have an annual border poll to facilitate the development of a consensus?
This would put continuous pressure on both sides of the divide to develop confidence-building measures which would build support within the other tradition.
Nationalists would have to court unionists and vice versa.
Feedback every year would be salutary.
Elections to the Stormont Assembly are a centrifugal force, incentivising division and fragmentation.
A regular vote on a single issue would incentivise cross-community cooperation.
The magnitude of the problems makes the Northern Ireland protocol look like a pinprick; it’s not too soon to start. – Yours, etc,
Dr JOHN DOHERTY
Gaoth Dobhair
Co Dhún na nGall.