Economists likened to climate deniers in Irish unity debate

Gould said: “For years, when we talked about climate change, climate change deniers were rolled out to give their opinions, even though all the science was against them.

“Now, we have that happening here, where we know the data and the positive implications Irish unity could have but we are allowing false data to come in to skew the conversation.”

Earlier, the Irish finance minister and Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) Simon Harris said transition to a unified state would come with considerable cost and complexity but it was neither possible nor intelligent to reduce that to a single number.

He said the economics effects of unification would be dynamic and the debate should be “framed about what we are capable of building north and south.”

Reuters

He added: “The fiscal position in year one would, of course, not remain static. Over time, costs and revenues would evolve as both economies adapt, grow and become integrated.

“How these opportunities are managed, and the extent to which these benefits are realised, will be the key determinant of the long-term fiscal impact.

“In other words, these outcomes are not predetermined. They will be shaped by the policy choices we make, the policies we pursue and the decisions we make.”