Brexit.

[seafoid]

This has been a great week for Ireland and, indeed, the EU.
Many thanks to most of the posters on here for their informed comments.
The other bright point in my week has been the arrival of a family member's new passport.
For those who haven't got one yet ( they have been in circulation since late 2013), page 5- opposite the photograph page and therefore the one you'll be opening when you pass through airports- is particularly good. There's a great map of the island with our wonderful rivers, mountains and loughs featured. Not an artificially created line in sight.
A quote on this page , and repeated on subsequent pages;
"It is the entitlement and birthright of every person born in the island of Ireland ,which includes the islands and seas, to be part of the Irish Nation"
Page 15 is dedicated to Gaelic Games- and as far as I'm concerned that's a picture of Ross Carr on the ball- and page 28 has a verse from the Ulster weaver Poet, James Orr. On the next page - "Furthermore the Irish nation cherishes its special affinity which people of Irish ancestry living abroad who share it's cultural identity and heritage". Seamus Heaney would approve.

The best part is on the inside page.

Iarann aire gnóthaí eachtreacha agus trádála na hÉireann ar gach lena mbaineann Ligean dá shealbhóir seo,  saoránach
d'Éirinn, gabhail ar aghaidh gan bhac gan chosc agus gach cúnamh agus caomhnú is gá a thabhairt  don shealbhóir.

That is the opposite of NI

[T Fearon]

Full of mantras unsupported by action.

[Rossfan]

Jasus Tony but you're a bitter oul yoke😈
Hanging around with too many Unionist types?

[omaghjoe]

 "The UK's future lies - in some ways - in Dublin".

"The Irish request is the EU's request"

"Let me say very clearly. If the UK offer is unacceptable for Ireland, it will also be unacceptable for the EU."


This is gas stuff altogether, Coveney and Leo having their moment and looking like they've played it very well.

Of course they need to be careful not to overplay their hand... no deal would of course mean a hard border is highly likely. But the DUP and Tories are in such disarray at the minute that looks unlikely

[randomusername]

Whatever happens will benefit nationalists in the long run.

[seafoid]

More Brexit
https://www.ft.com/content/d76a5602-c854-11e7-aa33-c63fdc9b8c6c

Britain is drifting towards disaster on Brexit — without a viable diplomatic, economic or political strategy to make a success of the venture. The central problem is that the British government is stuck between an implacable EU and an unrealistic Conservative party. The EU will not offer anything like the deal that Britain's Brexiters still dream of. But Theresa May's Conservative colleagues are still unprepared to accept this unpleasant reality. In this paralysing situation, it seems increasingly likely the UK government will simply be politically and technically incapable of delivering a negotiated Brexit. As a result, the likeliest outcome is that, late in the day — perhaps in January 2019 — the EU will present Britain with a "take it or leave it" deal.

[seafoid]

They never planned Brexit.  They never planned Heathrow airport either . Both are clusterfucks.

[imtommygunn]

it is an interesting twist.

I wonder if doddsy called the election results a gift from god what he calls this

varadakar is bound to be beelzebub himself!

[armaghniac]

The EU is in no hurry generally, so there is no reason to pressure Ireland. The longer the heat is under London then the more uncomfortable it gets for the Tories. May will likely throw the DUP overboard, as she can get a dozen votes elsewhere to get that aspect of things through and then let the DUP do what they like.

[seafoid]

it is an interesting twist.

I wonder if doddsy called the election results a gift from god what he calls this

varadakar is bound to be beelzebub himself!

More than a few people in the DUP think the EU image of Europa riding whatever animal is actually the antichrist.
The DUP needs to be rationalised.

[imtommygunn]

The EU is in no hurry generally, so there is no reason to pressure Ireland. The longer the heat is under London then the more uncomfortable it gets for the Tories. May will likely throw the DUP overboard, as she can get a dozen votes elsewhere to get that aspect of things through and then let the DUP do what they like.

The dup, no matter what, always seem to come up smelling of roses is what worries me though. Hopefully they are out of their depth but may is too and desperate times call for desperate measures. I hope you are right though.

Seafoid what they are doing is working for them. Until the electorate do something about it they will not change. Their younger members are the likes of pengelly and salford. Pengelly is one of their worst yet in my view so they aren't showing signs of normality any time soon.

[seafoid]

The EU is in no hurry generally, so there is no reason to pressure Ireland. The longer the heat is under London then the more uncomfortable it gets for the Tories. May will likely throw the DUP overboard, as she can get a dozen votes elsewhere to get that aspect of things through and then let the DUP do what they like.

The dup, no matter what, always seem to come up smelling of roses is what worries me though. Hopefully they are out of their depth but may is too and desperate times call for desperate measures. I hope you are right though.

Seafoid what they are doing is working for them. Until the electorate do something about it they will not change. Their younger members are the likes of pengelly and salford. Pengelly is one of their worst yet in my view so they aren't showing signs of normality any time soon.

As Clinton said it is the economy, stoopid.  When ordinary prods figure out how much Brexit will cos them personally the DUP will be toast. Brexit is not something whose cost will only be known years from now. It is going to be known very soon. FF can explain to Arlene.  You do not betray your own voters and expect to be applauded. 

[red hander]

The EU is in no hurry generally, so there is no reason to pressure Ireland. The longer the heat is under London then the more uncomfortable it gets for the Tories. May will likely throw the DUP overboard, as she can get a dozen votes elsewhere to get that aspect of things through and then let the DUP do what they like.

The dup, no matter what, always seem to come up smelling of roses is what worries me though. Hopefully they are out of their depth but may is too and desperate times call for desperate measures. I hope you are right though.

Seafoid what they are doing is working for them. Until the electorate do something about it they will not change. Their younger members are the likes of pengelly and salford. Pengelly is one of their worst yet in my view so they aren't showing signs of normality any time soon.

As Clinton said it is the economy, stoopid.  When ordinary prods figure out how much Brexit will cos them personally the DUP will be toast. Brexit is not something whose cost will only be known years from now. It is going to be known very soon. FF can explain to Arlene.  You do not betray your own voters and expect to be applauded.

Hope you're right, but re FF. They've now bounced back, so their voters have very short memories. For what FF did to the country, it should have been wiped out, never to become an electoral force again

[imtommygunn]

The dup were basically issued with a thinly veiled threat by the oo when they went into bed with the tories. They want their parades high priority. Reality is though they are more voting against sf than for dup so they will have to really screw their voters over to stop them voting for them.

[yellowcard]

Varadkar and Coveney have a chance to etch their names in Irish history if they play this right. So far so good. In a bizarre sort of way perhaps it's best for Ireland to have 2 Fine Gael men at the helm at this crucial time.