Lord Alderdice:

I agree, although it may be a more complicated thing than it first appears. I remember at one time in the talks process, when things were at a bit of a difficult stage, a rather senior Irish civil servant whom I will not name or identify told me he had been thinking that in the event of a united Ireland, some of these DUP fellows might be minister of agriculture or something like that. When I said that was absolutely right, he said he was going off the notion. You have found a way of getting on reasonably well with yourselves south of the Border, but you should not assume that if Northerners come in it will be all peace and pleasantness. I think it would be a bit difficult. There are some people who would have questions about that. Having said that, of course there should be consultation. There should be consultation between the two Governments all the time on all the issues. Certainly, a major thing like the decision to have a border poll is not something that should be done without consultation with the Irish Government.