 Northern Ireland, which had a majority unionist population, could opt out of the Free State, a year after the signing of the Treaty.An Irish Boundary Commission was to be established to draw a border, 'in accordance with the wishes of the inhabitants' and ‘economic and geographic conditions’.Collins anticipated a redrawing of the border would result in much of the south and west of Northern Ireland becoming part of the Free State, making Northern Ireland economically non-viable,and facilitating the reunification of the 32 counties in the near future.