BELFAST, Northern Ireland, June 17 (UPI) -- Most Catholics in Northern Ireland prefer to remain with Britain rather than unite with Ireland, results of a survey indicate.
Fifty-two percent of Catholics living in Northern Ireland told pollsters they preferred the union with Britain and 35 percent said they preferred a united Ireland, The Guardian reported Friday.
The poll's overall results indicated 73 percent of respondents to the Life and Times survey said they wanted to remain with Britain.
The results are the latest in a series of Northern Ireland Life and Times surveys since 2008 that indicated a majority of Catholics prefer to stay with Britain. Among the reasons participants gave was a perception that the Irish Republic was less attractive because of its fiscal crisis and the recession.
Only 4 percent of protestants in Northern Ireland said they preferred Irish unity, results indicated.
The results come as Sinn Fein prepares to launch another push for Irish unity, The Guardian said. The party is planning a rally in Dublin this weekend during which Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams will argue for unification.
Results of the survey are based on interviews with 1,205 adults Oct. 1 and Dec. 18, 2010.
