A United Ireland. Opening up the discussion.

[armaghniac]

I didn't realise that people can get prescriptions for, toothpaste, shampoo, paracetamol, ibuprofen along with many other stuff you can get without prescription in Boots!! 

Sponging like that has to stop, ones complaining about DLA motors and PIPS! Its shocking, and yes we know of all the tax dodgers in big corporates and the self employed ones who fix things their way, a review on things like that need looking at also.

You can't get scripts for paracetamol or hay fever  treatments. Possibly ibuprofen too.Not sure if that's with  all gp surgeries  but that's my own experience

Sure paracetamol is only a few pence  per box anyway   

Surgery I'm in they get all that.

The point is that you can't bulk buy paracetamol without a prescription. You'd be going to the shop every couple of days buying one packet, although it is not so bad in the North where you can buy 32 tablets.

[dec]

The point is that you can't bulk buy paracetamol without a prescription. You'd be going to the shop every couple of days buying one packet, although it is not so bad in the North where you can buy 32 tablets.

Didn't realise it was so restricted

I can pickup 500 x 500mg Acetaminophen for $18 in my local pharmacy in NYC.

https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/walgreens-extra-strength-pain-reliever-acetaminophen-caplets/ID=300428301-product

[armaghniac]

The point is that you can't bulk buy paracetamol without a prescription. You'd be going to the shop every couple of days buying one packet, although it is not so bad in the North where you can buy 32 tablets.

Didn't realise it was so restricted

I can pickup 500 x 500mg Acetaminophen for $18 in my local pharmacy in NYC.

https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/walgreens-extra-strength-pain-reliever-acetaminophen-caplets/ID=300428301-product

I've actually brought back both Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen from the US. In the ROI paracetamol is about 15c a tablet and there isn't much you can do about it. In the North you can probably get it for 4c a tablet, perhaps they should have put that in their All-Ireland report. 

[Feckitt]

Just watched Simon Harris' inaugural leaders speech at FG Ard Fheis. Not one single word on a United Ireland.  Not one single mention of new constitutional arrangements.  Not one single utterance about the Irish Government preparing for reunification.

[Tubberman]

Just watched Simon Harris' inaugural leaders speech at FG Ard Fheis. Not one single word on a United Ireland.  Not one single mention of new constitutional arrangements.  Not one single utterance about the Irish Government preparing for reunification.

Not in the list of priorities for most people.

[marty34]

Just watched Simon Harris' inaugural leaders speech at FG Ard Fheis. Not one single word on a United Ireland.  Not one single mention of new constitutional arrangements.  Not one single utterance about the Irish Government preparing for reunification.

Not in the list of priorities for most people.

Was people actually expecting this from Harris and FG?

It's FG. They don't care.

[RedHand88]

Just watched Simon Harris' inaugural leaders speech at FG Ard Fheis. Not one single word on a United Ireland.  Not one single mention of new constitutional arrangements.  Not one single utterance about the Irish Government preparing for reunification.

Not in the list of priorities for most people.

Really. Because it seems to dominate a huge share of the zeitgeist north and south.

[Rossfan]

It might that but most ordinary folk especially South of a line from mid Sligo to Ardee have about 9 higher priorities.

While Harris was ranting to the converted yesterday someone needs to tell him it's not and won't be a 1 party Government.

[bennydorano]

Just watched Simon Harris' inaugural leaders speech at FG Ard Fheis. Not one single word on a United Ireland.  Not one single mention of new constitutional arrangements.  Not one single utterance about the Irish Government preparing for reunification.

Flag shagger when it suits, like every politician that has ever existed.

[HokeyPokey]

It is also worth noting that FG passed a motion to establish a New Ireland Forum to set out a vision for the constitutional future of the island based on 'reconciliation, prosperity and equality'.

There's definitely a continuing trajectory. You only have to look at the people who are doing research and advocating for a UI, they come from a quite broad spectrum of Irish life. The fact that there's so many continually claiming that it won't happen and whole studies and books on the subject by people who oppose it is a good indicator too (Malachi O'Doherty get a dishonourable mention).

Much more needs to be done now. We need to avoid a shotgun process and poll at all costs. Doing the work now, with less tension and expectation would be prudent, regardless of the result.

I think the public is not well informed on the current differences north and south and on the various issues and opportunities with a UI. I don't think the public in the south are aware how advanced things and aren't paying attention as of yet.

Polling isn't showing majority support for a UI which nobody knows what it looks like. But neither is there a majority (mostly) for the union. Polling does show a clear majority of people aspire to / favour a United Ireland. To me, it seems, that makes it imperative that the Irish government needs to start actively planning and advocating for a UI.

[weareros]

Dublin has pretty much created an all-island economy, kept north in EU single market, got EU to already approve unification, so that the process will be more seamless. It's building an energy connector to France, and supplying whole island with one grid. As I said, the North has to do its bit too and start reducing a 40% civil service workplace. And actually decide they are Irish become the last census was pretty lame with 29% Irish only. Are the 20% "Northern Irish only" unity supporters or Our Wee Country supporters? Would be nice to see more who see themselves as Irish. Even tne worst west Brit Free Stater knows they are Irish.

[armaghniac]

Dublin has pretty much created an all-island economy, kept north in EU single market, got EU to already approve unification, so that the process will be more seamless. It's building an energy connector to France, and supplying whole island with one grid. As I said, the North has to do its bit too and start reducing a 40% civil service workplace. And actually decide they are Irish become the last census was pretty lame with 29% Irish only. Are the 20% "Northern Irish only" unity supporters or Our Wee Country supporters? Would be nice to see more who see themselves as Irish. Even tne worst west Brit Free Stater knows they are Irish.

The question is now economic as much as anything else. SF will talk plenty, but when FG have their next budget they'll criticise them for putting too much money aside and they'll do nothing to sort out public spending in NI.

[Ed Ricketts]

Dublin has pretty much created an all-island economy, kept north in EU single market, got EU to already approve unification, so that the process will be more seamless. It's building an energy connector to France, and supplying whole island with one grid. As I said, the North has to do its bit too and start reducing a 40% civil service workplace. And actually decide they are Irish become the last census was pretty lame with 29% Irish only. Are the 20% "Northern Irish only" unity supporters or Our Wee Country supporters? Would be nice to see more who see themselves as Irish. Even tne worst west Brit Free Stater knows they are Irish.

Where does that figure come from?

There are approx. 23,000 civil servants in the north - just below 3% of the workforce.

The public sector as a whole is about ten times larger, but still comes in at only ~27% of the workforce up here.

[weareros]

Dublin has pretty much created an all-island economy, kept north in EU single market, got EU to already approve unification, so that the process will be more seamless. It's building an energy connector to France, and supplying whole island with one grid. As I said, the North has to do its bit too and start reducing a 40% civil service workplace. And actually decide they are Irish become the last census was pretty lame with 29% Irish only. Are the 20% "Northern Irish only" unity supporters or Our Wee Country supporters? Would be nice to see more who see themselves as Irish. Even tne worst west Brit Free Stater knows they are Irish.

Where does that figure come from?

There are approx. 23,000 civil servants in the north - just below 3% of the workforce.

The public sector as a whole is about ten times larger, but still comes in at only ~27% of the workforce up here.

Meant public sector which is almost half the private sector workforce (220,000 to 595,000) compared to the South 350,000 to 2,300,000. 27% overall, correct there Ed.

That is just not sustainable in a UI and it's up to the North to ready itself for unity too and start changing that ratio.

[dec]

Dublin has pretty much created an all-island economy, kept north in EU single market, got EU to already approve unification, so that the process will be more seamless. It's building an energy connector to France, and supplying whole island with one grid. As I said, the North has to do its bit too and start reducing a 40% civil service workplace. And actually decide they are Irish become the last census was pretty lame with 29% Irish only. Are the 20% "Northern Irish only" unity supporters or Our Wee Country supporters? Would be nice to see more who see themselves as Irish. Even tne worst west Brit Free Stater knows they are Irish.

Where does that figure come from?

There are approx. 23,000 civil servants in the north - just below 3% of the workforce.

The public sector as a whole is about ten times larger, but still comes in at only ~27% of the workforce up here.

Meant public sector which is almost half the private sector workforce (220,000 to 595,000) compared to the South 350,000 to 2,300,000. 27% overall, correct there Ed.

That is just not sustainable in a UI and it's up to the North to ready itself for unity too and start changing that ratio.

Are all teachers, doctors and nurses in the South regarded as public sector?