Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin announced plans to establish a government body dedicated to examining the possibility of Irish reunification, launching what would be the first formal government effort to study the practical challenges and potential consequences of bringing British-run Northern Ireland into a united Ireland.

Martin told the Irish Times that the proposed body would examine different constitutional arrangements, including Northern Ireland remaining within the United Kingdom or retaining its devolved government while becoming part of a united Ireland. The research would also assess the challenges associated with each possible outcome.

The announcement expands on remarks Martin made earlier this week, when he called for an independent foundation of research and analysis to guide discussions about the island's constitutional future.

Martin said he was concerned that much of the current push for a referendum on reunification had become partisan, with some advocates presenting unity as both inevitable and easily achievable.

"What has concerned me about this push for a border poll since Brexit is that it's partisan, it's a one-sided advocacy approach," Martin told the newspaper.

He argued that discussions should account for the views of all communities rather than treating reunification as a political victory for Irish nationalism.

Under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, the British government is required to call a referendum on Irish unity if it appears likely that a majority of voters in Northern Ireland would support the proposal. The agreement established the framework for determining Northern Ireland's constitutional status through democratic consent.

Public opinion polls have generally continued to show more voters in Northern Ireland favoring remaining part of the United Kingdom than joining a united Ireland. However, the gap has narrowed since the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in 2016, while Sinn Féin and other Irish nationalist groups have increased pressure for a referendum.

Martin said he intends to bring the initial proposals for the new government body before his cabinet before the end of the year. The effort represents another step by Ireland's governing parties toward examining what reunification would require, even without an immediate referendum on the horizon.

Fine Gael, one of the parties in Martin's governing coalition, is also preparing to publish what it has described as a blueprint for a unified island at its annual conference next week. The document is expected to contribute to the growing debate over how Northern Ireland's political, economic and governmental arrangements might change if voters eventually approve reunification.