Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is a key point. The difficulty is that if we have a Border poll before the time is right, without having public buy-in, it will be hugely divisive. The consequences for relationships between people, whatever they might be before that, could be catastrophic. A negative outcome risks tearing everything apart again. That is the difficulty I see. It is so important to get it right. That takes time and requires consent and putting in all the groundwork on all the issues. If that is done, it will succeed. If it is not done, it will not succeed. I feel very strongly about that.