2019 sees an increase in the amount of Irish people who agree that Brexit makes a united Ireland likely
Half of Irish people believe that a united Ireland is likely as a result of Brexit, a new annual poll has found.
Read More: Nearly 80 percent of young people in Ireland in favor of United Ireland
Conducted by Red C Polling for European Movement Ireland, the ‘Ireland and the EU’ report surveyed 1000 people over the age of 18 from around Ireland between March 21 and 27. People in Northern Ireland were not included in the survey.
When asked if a united Ireland as a member of the EU is more likely because of Brexit, 50 percent of respondents in the poll agreed, 41 percent disagreed, and 9 percent said they didn’t know.
Red C reported that 57 percent of males agreed, compared to 42 percent of females who agreed.
55 percent of people in the Dublin region agreed that a united Ireland was likely, the highest of the regions, while Munster had the lowest with 41 percent agreeing.
Read More: It has to be a united Ireland poll or nothing after Brexit fiasco
The 2019 poll shows an increase in the amount of people agreeing that a united Ireland is likely. In 2018, there was an even split between those who agreed and disagreed - 44 percent - with 12 percent saying they didn’t know.
The poll also showed an increase in the amount of people who believe that Ireland should remain a member of the European Union - in 2018, 92 percent agreed and in 2019, 93 percent agree.
Noelle O'Connell, CEO of European Movement Ireland, said: "last year's poll showed positivity for Ireland's EU membership at an impressive high, so it is unexpected but welcome to see that support has risen yet again in 2019".
1/ At 9️⃣3️⃣% support for Ireland remaining a member of the EU is at its highest since we decided to start commissioning these independent @REDCResearch polls in 2013.
So Very little appetite for Ireland to leave the EU - support to ‘exit,’ at only 5️⃣%.
#EMIRedCPoll2019 https://t.co/hWRTo5lP9S
— Noelle O Connell (@Noelle_OC) May 2, 2019
Elsewhere in the poll, 58 percent of respondents agreed that Brexit has improved their opinion of the European Union. A large majority - 93 percent - believe that Ireland should remain a member of the EU.
Worth noting is that the poll was conducted while UK Prime Minister Theresa May was seeking an extension to Article 50 from EU officials in late March. Though the UK was supposed to leave the EU on March 29, the deadline was extended to October 31 on April 10 since no formal agreement had been reached.
Read More: One third of British people believe Brexit makes a United Ireland likely
You can watch a breakdown of the entire poll’s results here:
Are you surprised by the findings of the new poll? Let us know in the comments
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