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Ten years following the UK entered into a hasty public vote that polarised the country and unleashed chaos, a warning is issued from beyond the Irish Sea: it could happen again.

The government and voters drifted into Brexit and the similar may happen with a national vote on a unified Ireland, initiating upheavals for which no one is equipped.

That conveys the caution from two leading journalists from both sides of the Irish border who have teamed up to examine the pros and cons of Northern Ireland departing the UK to create a new state with the Republic of Ireland.

Administrative Establishments Ill-Equipped

The author and columnist and Sam McBride, have determined that the political establishments in Ireland and Britain are gravely unready for a possibly contentious and seismic public vote.

"The crucial insight of Brexit has gone unabsorbed, which is that stuff can arise suddenly and can build support very quickly," the commentator remarked. "It is my view that the institutional structure of our region remains very unstable."

Released Volume Intends to Provoke Discussion

The team have examined the governmental, financial and societal rationales for any structural alteration in a volume, The Case For and Against Unification, issued by the Irish Royal Irish Academy.

They aim to stir debate on the matter with a tour of public talks that will take them to Westminster in the coming weeks.

"What troubles everyone, or should haunt all involved, is the Brexit vote of 2016," commented the analyst.

"We must avoid a referendum on a yes-no, unclear proposal whose implications have not been spelled out because then you end up with an highly polarised community where the losing side are not reconciled to defeat and the victorious side don't know quite what it is that they have won."

Governmental Mandate

Under the Belfast Agreement, the Northern Ireland government minister should call a public vote on Irish unity if it appears likely that a majority would vote in favour.

Nationalist parties and other pro-unification groups say this point is imminent, and a non-profit called Ireland’s Future has garnered backing, but both governments and pro-UK factions downplay the prospect, making it uncertain when or if there could be a national vote.

Lack of Serious Debate

Partisan language supporting and opposing unification has masked the lack of substantive discussion, noted McBride.

"Many are for or against the concept but the detailed consideration which may surpass that to make it possible is mostly absent. Much has occurred in academia but scarcely any elected officials or campaigners want to engage with even the fundamentals. As an example, what sort of state would you want? Unitary? Federal?"

Volume's Strategy

In the volume, no writer endorses unity or the status quo. Each composes two pieces that seek objectivity in laying out the rationale for a united Ireland and the rationale against, marshalling economic and societal data, previous instances and structural examples.

Discussions range over flags and symbols, duties, health services, retirement funds, sovereign debt obligations and the risk of unionist unrest. The objective is to educate and provoke discussion.

"Considerable attention exists in the subject but there has not yet occurred a debate," said the writer. "Debate indicates an acknowledgement of the concept that there could be reasonable perspectives on either side."

Parallel Votes

A referendum in Northern Ireland would simultaneously prompt one in the Republic of Ireland, where voters say they support unification but reject paying higher taxes or introducing a new flag to reflect unionists' British culture.

"Authorities in Dublin does need to work out what the proposal from Irish nationalism is other than just saying: 'We seek a united Ireland and we value you'," stated O’Toole.

Possibility of Referendum

McBride considers a national vote in his generation is likely and that it may take place unexpectedly. "You could have just a irresponsible or a poor or a incompetent official who states: 'Let's just do this and get it out of the way.'"

Both pro-unification advocates and unionists have reasonable, legitimate points, he said. "One side will prevail on this issue and the other side will ultimately lose but each side has possesses important lessons to gain from the other's viewpoints."

Request for Broader Discussion

Westminster must engage with the dialogue, said O’Toole. "This involves the United Kingdom. It is a British issue equally as it is an Irish question."