Technically all of the UK can make a trade deal post Brexit without reference to the EU.
The only thing would be that goods/services sent to NI would need to follow EU regulations.
This looks like a win-win for all sides.
DUP’s followers are eroding. There is no need for a bribe for them.
England-Wales would be better off without Northern Ireland economically, politically and diplomatically.
The NI/RoI divide is no longer seen as purely sectarian, due to the increasing secularisation of both states and also because the RoI has quite a few Protestants doing quite well.
More and more see themselves as “Irish” - and religion (or lack of it) as something separate.
They would still have some way to go. Catholics are still a minority and more likely to view themselves as British than protestants likely to view themselves as Irish. You also have to remember that many devout Catholics are horrified at the secularisation in the republic, and I have heard of some formerly staunch Republicans stating they will vote DUP because their Christian values are more in sync than with the increasingly godless republic. The northern Irish are still very religious compared to the rest of the uk and Ireland.
> The NI/RoI divide is no longer seen as purely sectarian, due to the increasing secularisation of both states and also because the RoI has quite a few Protestants doing quite well.
I went to County Cork about 3 years ago and the Church of Ireland churches seemed at least to me nearly empty of congregation members, even during services. Inside were mostly staff and tourists. The Catholic attendance also seemed lower than I expected, but the Catholic church congregations there still seemed to be substantial. Maybe County Cork is an outlier?