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A decade after the UK embarked on a hurried public vote that divided the country and unleashed chaos, a caution is issued from beyond the Irish Sea: it might repeat.

Policymakers and voters sleepwalked into Brexit and the similar may happen with a national vote on a unified Ireland, initiating convulsions for which nobody is prepared.

That represents the warning from two prominent writers from both sides of the Irish border who have collaborated to scrutinise the pros and cons of Northern Ireland departing the UK to form a different country with the Republic of Ireland.

Governmental Establishments Not Ready

The author and columnist and Sam McBride, have found that the government bodies in Ireland and Britain are woefully unready for a possibly tense and monumental public vote.

"The crucial insight of Brexit hasn't been learned, which is that developments can emerge unexpectedly and can gain traction swiftly," the commentator said. "In my opinion that the political architecture of our archipelago remains highly fragile."

Released Volume Intends to Provoke Discussion

The team have examined the governmental, economic and cultural reasons for any governmental shift in a publication, The Case For and Against Unification, released by the Irish Royal Irish Academy.

They seek to encourage dialogue on the matter with a tour of public talks that will take them to Westminster soon.

"What haunts all parties, or must worry all involved, is the Brexit referendum of 2016," commented the analyst.

"We must avoid a referendum on a binary, unclear proposal whose consequences have not been clarified because then you end up with an highly split population where those defeated are not reconciled to defeat and the people who have won are uncertain exactly what it is that they have achieved."

Governmental Mandate

Under the Good Friday agreement, the Northern Ireland secretary of state must arrange a public vote on Irish unification if it is indicated that a most voters would vote in favour.

Sinn Féin and other pro-unification groups say that moment is looming, and a non-profit called Ireland’s Future has garnered backing, but both governments and unionists minimise the prospect, resulting in ambiguity whether or when there could be a national vote.

Insufficient Substantive Discussion

Partisan language for and against unity has masked the shortage of informed dialogue, said the journalist.

"Many are for or against the notion but the detailed consideration which may surpass that to make it possible has largely not occurred. A great deal has taken place in universities but hardly any government figures or campaigners are willing to participate with the fundamentals. As an example, what type of nation would you want? Unitary? Decentralised?"

Volume's Strategy

In the book, none of the commentators supports unification or the status quo. They composes two pieces that strive for objectivity in laying out the argument for a unified Ireland and the argument opposing it, assembling financial and social statistics, historical precedents and constitutional models.

Debates cover identity markers, taxes, health services, retirement funds, national debt responsibilities and the threat of pro-UK militancy. The objective is to inform and encourage dialogue.

"There is significant curiosity in the topic but there has not yet occurred a debate," stated the writer. "Discussion implies an recognition of the notion that there could be reasonable perspectives on either side."

Parallel Votes

A public vote in Northern Ireland would simultaneously prompt one in the Republic of Ireland, where the electorate report they prefer unity but reject paying higher taxes or adopting a different emblem to acknowledge pro-UK communities' British identity.

"The Irish government must establish what the proposal from Irish nationalism is aside from just saying: 'We want a united Ireland and we value you'," stated O’Toole.

Possibility of Public Vote

The journalist thinks a national vote in his era is probable and that it might occur unexpectedly. "It is possible just a reckless or a ill-advised or a feckless official who says: 'We should proceed and settle the matter.'"

Each of the pro-unification advocates and pro-UK supporters have plausible, valid perspectives, he stated. "One side will prevail on this issue and somebody will in the end not succeed but each side has possesses something to gain from the alternative positions."

Appeal for Wider Debate

Westminster should join the discussion, said the analyst. "This concerns your state. It's a UK matter just as much as it is an Irish issue."