Messages

But they won't deduct any from Man City.

Joe Kinnear

[40% civil service workplace]

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?

Good graphic posted on Slugger

only for the pig ignorant.

hardly surprising coming from a poster that recently said Hamas were evil but 'the question has been whether the Israelis are much the same'..

this despite to name a few,  the nakba where 750k were mass displaced and dispossessed and thousands killed never to return as per their legal right of return. Operation cast lead, protective edge, the thousand murdered and maimed on the great march, the thousands of illegal settlements, murders, displacements in the West Bank, Israel also enable Hamas to rise to split the palestinans...

the graphic is a piece of garbage.

The graphic is from The Onion

Just felt an earthquake here in New York, I had noise cancelling headphones on for work so initially I didn't hear anything, just felt it

After shock

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

Just felt an earthquake here in New York, I had noise cancelling headphones on for work so initially I didn't hear anything, just felt it

NI's contribution to UK national debt and pensions

A united Ireland would still be liable for part of the UK debt and pensions. As NI is currently part of the UK it would inherit a pro rata amount of debt, pensions, liabilities. The future UK -NI would still be on the hook for pension rights accrued by people in NI prior to reunification.

Of course these various liabilities could be swapped as part of reunification negotiations.

https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-news-roundup-latest-league-updates-from-friday-march-29

"Smyth, of Northern Ireland, previously played professional Gaelic soccer as a goalkeeper."

Convenient timing for the hardliners after he agreed to go back in to government.

Cork flavoured commentary

https://www.c103.ie/north-cork/player/

No TV coverage of the Armagh cork game, is there any radio commentary available?

Seems like everyone is jumping on the bandwagon

https://www.rte.ie/sport/hurling/2024/0319/1438841-scrap-league-final-or-give-table-toppers-just-rewards/

Should Tipperary and Kilkenny come out on top I think it would make for a more honest and open league final as neither will face each other again unless in the All-Ireland series, so no need to hold back there really. Tipp will be the last team to puck a ball in the Liam MacCarthy and Kilkenny's first game is against Antrim so that window for recovery is good for both those teams. So from a neutral viewpoint we all want a Kilkenny and Tipp win this weekend...
I think the winner of the league should be just that: the top team at the end of the group league games, no semis, no final. Straight away you've knocked off two weeks of games and thus allowed at least a four-week break for teams to fine tune for the championship. A chance for them to let the hair down, take a break away from the cauldron of inter-county life for a few days, maybe even a week, recharge the batteries and go at it full tilt again, just like the good old days!...

Article on a similar theme in the Irish News.

https://www.irishnews.com/gaa/cahair-okane-league-finals-no-longer-make-any-sense-other-than-financial-3IY7FSC5HFDYFDKWUQW3G2VGLU/