Brexit, demographic change and political turmoil in Northern Ireland have left many wondering if reunification could come sooner than expected, Ednews reports via Euronews.

 
A new report has estimated that the reunification of Ireland would cost around €20 billion a year for two decades. 

Findings from the Dublin-based Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) take into account the current level of funding Northern Ireland receives from the UK government. 

They also include the share of UK national debt it would presumably carry were it to join a united Ireland as well as its economy's markedly low productivity relative to the Republic of Ireland.

Northern Ireland's public services currently rely heavily on a "subvention" of some €11 billion from the UK, which in the event of unification would need to be replaced by funding from Dublin. 

According to the IIEA, the resulting spend would be equivalent to 10% of Ireland's Gross National Income, 40% of which is currently spent on public services.

"This is a huge sum as total government expenditure in Ireland currently amounts to around 40% of GNI," the researchers write. "This would add a quarter to public expenditure in Ireland, while producing a very limited increase in revenue.

"To deal with the resulting deficit, which under the most favourable circumstances would persist for many years after unification, there would have to be a dramatic increase in taxation and/or a major reduction in expenditure."