Most people in Northern Ireland would vote against a united Ireland if there was a border poll, according to a new poll.
The latest Irish Times Ipsos opinion poll found that half of all respondents from the north said they would vote against Irish unity.
Just over a quarter of people (27%) said they would vote for unity, including 55% of those with a Catholic background, while 18% said they didn’t know how they would vote and 5% said no.
The majority of people in the Republic, with 66%, said they would vote for Irish unity, while 16% were against it and 13% were undecided.
The highest proportion of people who said they did not know how they would vote were in the “other” category, those who do not identify as being of Catholic or Protestant background, where 31% are undecided.
The strongest opposition to unity was among those of Protestant origin with 79%.
Those of Catholic origin were the most in favor of the unit with 55%, with 21% against it and 21% of those surveyed who said they were undecided.
However, there are large majorities in both jurisdictions in favor of holding referendums.
More than three-quarters of voters, 76%, in the Republic are in favor of a border poll, with a majority in favor of a five-year term.
More than half of northern voters, 55%, are in favor of a referendum, with most preferring a term longer than 10 years.
A clear majority of “others” wanted a referendum, with 50% in favor, 25% against, and 25% saying they didn’t know.
Among voters with a Protestant background, 39% said there should be a referendum, 47% opposed it, and 14% said they didn’t know.
The survey was carried out as part of a new research project on North-South relations and political visions for the future of the island.
The polls were carried out among more than 1,000 voters in Northern Ireland and the Republic in August and September of this year.
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