Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Dr. Renwick mentioned there is no polling evidence for a united Ireland. Two polls were carried out by LucidTalk on behalf of The Sunday Timesin recent years. One had support for Irish unity at 45.4% and the other had it at 42.3%. There is clearly very substantial support and it is a credible polling company that is respected politically. In the past few local or European elections, and specifically elections for Westminster or the Northern Ireland Assembly, there was not a unionist majority of MLAs or MPs elected. There is no electoral or polling evidence that would justify any lengthy delay in a secretary of state's deliberations. This again points to the problem of only a secretary of state, as part of an avowedly unionist British Government, making this decision with no wider consultation about criteria.

I ask the witnesses to take us through the approach that would lead to a second referendum on Scottish independence. Will they speak about the process that led to the first one and what they anticipate will be the process leading to a second referendum, including how that will inform us on how to proceed in Ireland?