They devoted great prominence to the existence of the short-lived Limerick soviet of 1919. I can't for the life of me think why...
We also, "like [the Russians], remember everything", ha. Is this another subtle dig at forgetful Britain's expense? Of course, it was GK Chesterton who once remarked that "the tragedy of the English conquest of Ireland in the 17th century is that the Irish can never forget it and the English can never remember it".
We can't be uniting with any part of anything where people dress like that.
Last edited by osarusan; 19/05/2017 at 2:11 PM.
'More than 50 per cent of people in the North want a border poll at some point over the next five years': https://www.thesun.ie/news/1017253/n...s-border-poll/
Meanwhile, accounting for all communities, 39.4 per cent of people oppose a referendum on unity whilst only 22.78 per cent oppose an Irish language act.Originally Posted by Jason Johnson
In a rather unexpected development, Colum Eastwood - usually one to cool or defer talk of a unity referendum - has been making explicit noises about such a referendum potentially being held after Brexit takes effect: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/polit...ions-1.3101566
He stated the following at the SDLP's election manifesto launch when asked about his position on a referendum: https://sluggerotoole.com/2017/05/30...rexit-process/
According to David McCann of Slugger O'Toole:Originally Posted by Colum Eastwood
There is no express mention of a referendum in the SDLP's actual manifesto, nor has Eastwood specified a time-frame, other than saying he thinks it will need to happen after Brexit, but it's an interesting development nonetheless to have the SDLP now pushing for a referendum too. Let's hope it's not just an electioneering tactic.Originally Posted by David McCann
Brian Walker on Slugger O'Toole asks some questions to ponder over the next few years and emphasises the need for James Brokenshire to outline how exactly he'll judge "when it appears likely to him" that a majority of the northern electorate would vote for a united Ireland: https://sluggerotoole.com/2017/05/30...t-be-left-out/
Originally Posted by Brian Walker
An in-depth presentation produced by the BBC looking at life along the Irish border: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/...hardest_border
I read through that yesterday evening. shame they confused the Irish Setter on the BÉ logo with a Greyhound. tut tut tut.
DID YOU NOTICE A SIGN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE...?
'UK tried to block Kenny move on unity clause': https://www.rte.ie/news/brexit/2017/...-unity-clause/
It's good to know they were told where to go.Originally Posted by RTÉ
I really enjoyed that read yesterday. It's like we always seemed to have the upperhand with the Tories re the north when Kenny was in power. Coveney is likely to be next MinFA. We'll see.
Last time we sent a Cork man to do our bidding; we all know what happened*.
*Obviously ignoring Peter Barry and Micheal Martin
Last edited by BonnieShels; 13/06/2017 at 9:03 AM.
DID YOU NOTICE A SIGN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE...?
Simon Coveney says the Irish government will insist on post-Brexit "special status" for the north of Ireland: http://www.independent.ie/business/b...-35855713.html
This seems to represent a welcome change in language and attitude from the government. Coveney's predecessor Charlie Flanagan was always reluctant to use the term "special status", but Coveney is now unequivocal in declaring what the Irish government desires.Originally Posted by Simon Coveney
Economist David McWilliams writes another piece that comprehensively dismantles unionism's economic case for continued partition, in the Belfast Telegraph, of all places!: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/op...-35865222.html
Originally Posted by David McWilliams
I happened to come across the following video on YouTube of David McWilliams - as a guest on RTÉ's Prime Time back in 2014 - affirming the potential economic viability of Scottish independence:
The presenter David McCullagh made a point that also has relevance to the question of the potential economic viability of Irish re-unification. He posed the following to McWilliams:
"[The Scots] pay £53 billion a year in taxes, including oil taxes, and get £65 billion back, so you're starting with a £12 billion deficit..."
Of course, the north of Ireland receives a block grant or subvention of nearly the same amount as Scotland's annual budget deficit every year from Westminster - £10 billion reportedly - and re-unification sceptics or opponents often ask how the south would be able to afford that in the event of re-unification. McWilliams responded to McCullagh as follows in respect of Scotland:
"If you reduce economics to the budget deficit, you're actually putting the cart before the horse. The question is: 'How do you get there and can the Scottish economy be dynamic enough to generate revenue over the course of, let's say, ten years and to reduce its expenditure to narrow that budget deficit?' In actual fact, the budget deficit doesn't matter a lot as long as they can finance themselves and I have no doubt they can."
McWilliams went on in the clip to explain in greater detail why he believed Scotland could finance themselves, but his answer could equally be applied to a re-unified Irish economy.
Also, I think it's worth noting that the subvention received from the UK by the north of Ireland is actually a cost of partition. That doesn't mean that sum will translate into a cost of re-unification for the south in a post-unity scenario. To the contrary, a single, harmonious island economy, rather than two smaller competing economies on the one island, will be well capable of covering and surpassing the present cost of partition. Evidently, it's partition that Ireland really can't afford afford; not re-unification.
Anyway, what I find so intriguing or novel about David McWilliams' very welcome contributions to the Irish re-unification debate is that he primarily comes at it from a rationalist perspective, rather than a romantic, sentimental or cultural one, considering he isn't from what many might regard as a traditionally nationalist or republican background. His grandparents were Scottish Protestants and his wife is an east Belfast Anglican.
Last edited by DannyInvincible; 28/06/2017 at 12:58 AM.
Kevin Meagher spoke with George Galloway yesterday on the prospect of Irish unity in light of recent events:
Meagher feels the DUP's deal with the Tories will make unity more likely. Paraphrasing, he outlines that the money from the DUP-Tory deal is going to be spent on things like underwriting the north's move next year to cut its corporation tax-rate to 12.5 per cent from 18 per cent to try and compete with the south, which obviously has had a much lower corporation tax-rate historically. The idea behind this move, he says, is that American and European investors will think there's not much difference between investing in the north and the south and so will be attracted to the north, but Meagher asserts that "there's not a single economist" of whom he knows that actually thinks the cut in the corporation tax-rate will make "a blind bit of difference" due to additional factors like Brexit and the south's continued access to the Single Market. The south will still remain the more attractive option for international investors, in Meagher's opinion. However, when the north makes the cut, he adds that there is a fiscal deficit that will need to be plugged and that part of the deal this week is about measures to address things like that as well.
Meagher continues:
Originally Posted by Kevin Meagher
'Matt Carthy: Unionists have nothing to fear from a united Ireland': http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/matt...72571-Jun2017/
"Selling" the North to the Southern electorate was never gonna be a difficult thing. It would be overwhelmingly approved if it went to a ballot. Reunification is purely emotional thing for a lot of Nationalists. The cost is secondary. If reunification cost a billion a minute, it still wouldn't stop me voting yes.
Selling the South to the Northern Unionist however is a different game.
DID YOU NOTICE A SIGN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE...?
Not just emotional for many people though. When the cost is taken into account, it gets more complicated:
https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0304/85...nited-ireland/
If I were campaigning in a unification referendum, I wouldn't be relying on just the emotional appeal, especially considering the devastating impact an Irish No to Unity vote would have.Using estimates from recent British government budget accounts, Ireland Thinks used a rough estimate of €9bn per annum as the cost for reunification.
Asked how they would vote in a referendum if the cost of a united Ireland was €9bn a year 33.1% said they would vote in favour while 32.5% said they would vote against and 34.4% were undecided.
When the undecided are excluded - 50.4% said they would vote in favour, 49.6% said they would vote against.
I still think it would pass alright in the end.
But I wonder what the fine print of any such referendum would be.
Aye, them boneys are terrible, such wanton intimidation. Even when they win a photography award...
Anyway, apologies to DI for delay in response to latest long posts- my laptop conked out, which at least is a sign the Gorgeous Galloway filter's working
Talking of the Maiden City, I notice that you divert attention from City's latest Eurothrashing with a dig at Brit consular officials in Riga for hampering Liepaja's visa applications for Belfast. Actually ye have a point- when my parents worked abroad for the Foreign Office, both the diplomats and local clerks never missed a chance to shut the shop and head for the Baltic equiv of Glastonbury- Trip to the Spit?
Last edited by Gather round; 02/07/2017 at 10:42 AM.
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