A key ICM poll in the UK this morning shows voters there are evenly split for the first time since 2013 about whether Britain should exit the EU.

This is the latest in a series of polls where the trend towards an exit is gaining significant ground, it was published by The Telegraph.

A Survation survey in the Daily Express found that 42% of Britons want to leave the EU while only 40% plan to vote to stay in. This poll had a significant 10,000 person sample size.

UK Prime Minister, David Cameron has given himself until the end of 2017 to hold the vote, but experienced trader and risk analyst, Nick Bulman of Checkrisk believes it’s likely to take place as early as next May.

Speaking to Breakfast Business he told Vincent Wall that a potential UK exit from the EU is "right at the top" of economic risks which Ireland faces heading into the new year.

He adds that he believes EU leaders, and even the British PM David Cameron, have underestimated the size of the challenge to keep the UK in the Union.

"Certainly for the first time we've seen a big-big rise in the 'out' campaign," he said, adding that it is the "man in the street" not Britain's politicians who are ultimately making this decision.

The analyst suspects that David Cameron is likely to try to hold the referendum as soon as he can amid fear that the current migration crisis may reignite during the summer months as weather conditions improve allowing more people to attempt the arduous trip from the Middle East to European countries.

Mr Bulman adds that he is "amazed" that Irish groups have not been organised to try to convince the UK to remain within the EU. He says that David Cameron will need to come home from the European Council meeting in February with "specific wins" on reforms for the UK in Europe to motivate the British public to vote to remain in Europe.