A United Ireland. Opening up the discussion.

[T Fearon]

The GFA agreement says that in the event of a referendum in favour of an All Ireland state,both governments will be duty bound to consider the result and determine the best way forward.That is far from a commitment to implementing the result by delivering a United Ireland.This position was agreed by the FF led Irish Government at the time.

[armaghniac]

Would the people in the 6 counties give up their health service and put up with the waiting lists in the South?
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/400000-people-on-hospital-waiting-lists-in-northern-ireland-lives-being-lost-warns-mla-34996673.html

[muppet]

Would the people in the 6 counties give up their health service and put up with the waiting lists in the South?
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/400000-people-on-hospital-waiting-lists-in-northern-ireland-lives-being-lost-warns-mla-34996673.html

20% of the population is on waiting lists!

Despite all the complaining in the 26, and most of it is justified, I hear from family that the UK Health System is far worse.

[T Fearon]

The mistake most freestaers make and indeed too many on both sides in the North replicate is thinking there is an economic argument to win over unionists or nationalists to accepting the union or re unification.

Unionism and Nationalism is overwhelmingly emotionally driven,I would have been one of the few to have escaped this irrational mindset,and not amenable to rational argument or indeed the experience of history,which irrefutably shows that unionists and nationalists respectively have been continually shafted by London and Dublin,neither of whom are worthy of allegiance from anyone in the North of Ireland

[Rossfan]

Yes Tony

[T Fearon]

I see in today's Irish News only 1/3 of the freestate electorate would vote in favour of a United Ireland if it meant tax rises. As tax rises would be inevitable to fund a United Ireland surely that finally puts paid to any prospect of it,even if unionists could be persuaded.

[armaghniac]

I see in today's Irish News only 1/3 of the freestate electorate would vote in favour of a United Ireland if it meant tax rises. As tax rises would be inevitable to fund a United Ireland surely that finally puts paid to any prospect of it,even if unionists could be persuaded.

The 6 counties will just have to grow up and pay its own way

[OgraAnDun]

I see in today's Irish News only 1/3 of the freestate electorate would vote in favour of a United Ireland if it meant tax rises. As tax rises would be inevitable to fund a United Ireland surely that finally puts paid to any prospect of it,even if unionists could be persuaded.

The 36 billion euro dividend of reunification just might have an affect on that.

[T Fearon]

Where is that coming from? Is that a big piece of pie in the sky I see?

[LeoMc]

Where is that coming from? Is that a big piece of pie in the sky I see?

I think they used the £26m from the Northern Bank and have been following your betting tips assiduously.

[armaghniac]

Where is that coming from? Is that a big piece of pie in the sky I see?

I think they used the £26m from the Northern Bank and have been following your betting tips assiduously.

I hope they didn't lump on Tír na nÓg against Cross. 

[OgraAnDun]

Where is that coming from? Is that a big piece of pie in the sky I see?

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/unification-of-ireland-could-bring-in-36-5bn-in-eight-years-1.2435505

I have to say Tony, that I'd believe that rather than your 'pie in the sky' analysis which undoubtedly is the result of a postgraduate degree in economics from the LSE.

[Minder]

Where is that coming from? Is that a big piece of pie in the sky I see?

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/unification-of-ireland-could-bring-in-36-5bn-in-eight-years-1.2435505

I have to say Tony, that I'd believe that rather than your 'pie in the sky' analysis which undoubtedly is the result of a postgraduate degree in economics from the LSE.

Some context on that "study", basically Sinn Fein commissioned

http://sluggerotoole.com/2015/11/21/when-is-an-independent-study-on-irish-unification-not-independent/

[armaghniac]

Where is that coming from? Is that a big piece of pie in the sky I see?

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/economy/unification-of-ireland-could-bring-in-36-5bn-in-eight-years-1.2435505

I have to say Tony, that I'd believe that rather than your 'pie in the sky' analysis which undoubtedly is the result of a postgraduate degree in economics from the LSE.

Some context on that "study", basically Sinn Fein commissioned

http://sluggerotoole.com/2015/11/21/when-is-an-independent-study-on-irish-unification-not-independent/

The British government produce reports abut NI all the time, are they necessarily biased because of who asked for them?

[smelmoth]

What downside analysis did they undertake?
What analysis was undertaken of the likelihood of each of the scenarios materialising? And what sensitivity analysis of the relative failures of each scenario to materialaise?
Will be interesting to see how the report survives the peer-review process.

What long term analysis was undertaken? e.g, what happens after the short term benefit of joining a weak euro washes through?

The report contains a series of assumptions that can basically be summarised as "if all the obstacles went away and there were no new problems would the outcome be good?"