A report examining the prospect of a United Ireland is to be published later today.

The Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement is launching its first report on the issue.

Fianna Fáil committee member, Senator Mark Daly, says the report which received all-party support when first published.

He says: "The report looks at the impact of Brexit on Ireland and what needs to happen in order to peacefully achieve a United Ireland.

"There is significant support in Ireland in favour of a United Ireland with some polls showing support in excess of 80%.

The report - entitled 'Brexit and the Future of Ireland: Uniting Ireland & its People in Peace & Prosperity' - was ratified by the all-party committee on July 13th.

It outlines in detail the options for the island of Ireland in the wake of Brexit.

"This step forward is only the start. We all need to do more to bring about a United Ireland through active consent. That process starts now", Senator Daly adds.

File photo

Of the 17 recommendations by the committee, one of the key ones is the need to establish a New Ireland Forum to set a pathway to achieve the peaceful unification.

It says this forum must include Unionist voices and perspectives.

Some of the key submissions to the report include Dr Kurt Hubner of the University of British Columbia - which shows a reunification scenario with a boost of €35.6bn over eight years to an all island economy.

While a senior policy advisor on counter terrorism to former US President Barack Obama has written a paper for the report.

Michael Ortiz examines the need to act now to prevent the threat of future paramilitary violence attempting to subvert a referendum and reunification.

The report also recommends welcoming the declaration agreed to by the European Council in April, which provides for Northern Ireland to automatically become part of the EU in the event of a future united Ireland.

This declaration, known in Brussels as ‘The Kenny Text’, is similar to that of Commission President Jacque Delors in January 1990 on the issue of German unification.