Sir, – I wish to broadly support John Doyle's analysis that the UK subvention to the North is irrelevant to the debate on Irish unity (Opinion & Analysis, June 9th).
There are many imponderable factors and a range of differing economic opinions on the subvention.
If he is right, it also strengthens the case for the people of Northern Ireland to have a third option, ie some form of supported independence status, in addition to the current status quo and a united Ireland.
The Belfast Telegraph-Kantar opinion poll on May 2nd shows that the sense of NI identity is now on a level with the British identity at 33 per cent, with the sense of Irish identity trailing at 28 per cent.
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Moreover, if a united Ireland is on the cards, it would be better if both parts of the island sit down to negotiate as equal partners. – Yours, etc,
DORCHA LEE,
Navan,
Co Meath.