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The son of the DUP founder, Ian Paisley, has said the prospect of a united Ireland is not as remote as it once was.

The Rev Kyle Paisley said this was due to the Brexit uncertainty and the trade border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

He was speaking at the Seanad (the upper house of Irish parliament) on Friday.

The twin brother of DUP MP Ian Paisley said that it would be a "herculean task" to win moderate unionists over to a united Ireland.

Rev Paisley, who made part of his contribution in Irish, said: “My heart is fixed and can’t be won” but he admitted that a “disastrous” Brexit had changed some people’s attitudes.

He said there were serious questions about a united Ireland including whether it could financially match the UK block fund and whether it would be an “irreversible severance”.

Fear of exploitation

In a question and answer session, Rev Paisley said that because of the “long shadow” cast by the Northern Ireland Troubles there was still a fear among many unionists that there are people who would seek to exploit them in a united Ireland.

He said that while it may be possible to respect and acknowledge the culture and history of unionists in a united Ireland he was of the view that “you can’t really be a unionist without the union".

The former Alliance leader and Fine Gael MEP, John Cushnahan, told the committee that he questioned “the wisdom” of those using the recent Northern Ireland census to seek a “premature” border poll.

He said future constitutional change “must be able to win the consent of the nationalist majority and the unionist minority” rather than a 50% plus one margin.

Mr Cushnahan suggested that it might be better to allow academics examine the issues surrounding change rather than a citizens’ assembly.

The Seanad committee on the Voices of all Communities on the Constitutional Future on the Island of Ireland earlier heard from young people north and south of the border about their thoughts on the island’s future.

Meanwhile, DUP MP Sammy Wilson told the Belfast-based Newsletter that he regarded any unionist thinking of attending the Ireland’s Future event in Dublin on Saturday as “patsies” and “useful idiots” in the hands of united Irelanders.

Thousands of people are due to attend the conference which will discuss planning for a united Ireland.

The event, to be held at the 3Arena, will hear from a range of politicians, members of civic society, and business representatives.

Organisers say the conference is the "most significant and important" event to discuss a united Ireland.

Ireland’s Future was formed to "advocate for, and promote, debate and discussion about Ireland’s Future".

It has held a number of events since it was formed in 2019, but this weekend’s will be its biggest to date.

The leaders of Sinn Féin and the SDLP will be joined by senior figures from all of the main political parties in the Republic of Ireland.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, who is due to become taoiseach in December, will give a keynote address.

Organisers say they expect several thousand people to attend the event.