Northern Irish politics - which sort of political parties would you favour?

[Decypher]

I think that´s a slight mischaracterization. I´m not aware of any significant party that wants an independent Northern Irish state but Alliance, Northern Irish Green party, and a number of others don´t have a strong position on the constitutional status of Northern Ireland.

I don´t have any dog in this fight in terms of national identity etc. Honestly, if I were in Northern Ireland my main concern about unification would be having to pay 30 Euros to see a doctor, and my main concern about staying in the UK would be that NI is closer economically to Ireland than it is to the UK so it seems stupid to risk isolating them.

Honestly, I think the main priority should be finding a solution that works and has the support of both communities. I think the current power-sharing system works a lot better than what was in place before (basically one-party rule by the Ulster Unionist Party) but now that there is a demographic shift toward a bigger catholic population and now that younger generations are moving away from sectarian politics in general a new solution needs to be found.

It cost €75 the last time I went to my GP in Dublin. As the Brexit folly continues, I think the economic situation will lead to closer ties without necessarily full unification. Tradesmen from the North have found increasing work in the republic. The Irish government is also paying for nursing training in Belfast due to a lack of funding.

 

[Infinite Chaos]

which sort of political parties would you favour?

My time on patrol in Northern Ireland is what brought my short period in the military to an end. Not because I felt we were doing wrong or all the internecine problems and killings - it was that I was there patrolling on behalf of Northern Irish Protestants whose racism and hatred meant Nick Griffin and his British National Party always had a welcome when they visited.

I've seen pictures before of black policemen guarding fascist marches in London before and wondered if I could do it. What made it untenable long term for me was that a black policeman could guard a fascist march one day, go home and wash the stink off.

I was stuck there for a whole tour. I had to live with the stink day after day.

I hated the place, hated all the people.

My only objection is that they said that the last vote was a once in a generation vote but as soon as they lost the independence side called for another vote.

The Scottish Independents were also told as part of all this they would not be taken out of the EU and look what happened there.

I have a lot of sympathy for the Scots over Brexit and why they want another vote.

 

[Red_Dave]

Is it really 50 %?

Of all Ireland?

The latest poll I could find was 35% in favor of unification, 47% against it, 10% undecided 4 % would not vote (1). I´d imagine if you did a poll of Russia and Ukraine there would be a firm majority in favor of Russian intervention, but that doesn´t mean it´s acceptable. People in NI have the same right to determine their future as anyone else.



(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Ireland#Northern_Ireland_opinion_polling

 

[Red_Dave]

It cost €75 the last time I went to my GP in Dublin. As the Brexit folly continues, I think the economic situation will lead to closer ties without necessarily full unification. Tradesmen from the North have found increasing work in the republic. The Irish government is also paying for nursing training in Belfast due to a lack of funding.

So would you have to pay that upfront?

 

[feratu]

Most of what I know of Ireland comes from what little I understood reading James Joyce so I voted for a united one.

 

[feratu]

A portrait of Europe as an old friend, by James Joyce | Daniel Mulhall

In the year of Brexit, issues of national identity in Ireland are back in vogue a century after Joyce explored them in A Portrait of the Artist As a Young Man

www.theguardian.com

Although his restless imagination would surely find fault with aspects of today’s world, I like to think that Joyce would approve of the fact that his homeland is now at ease with a pluralist Irish identity comfortably anchored in Europe.

 

[Rumpel]

5 say:

• those who want a united Ireland​