A United Ireland. Opening up the discussion.

[T Fearon]

So why is it averse to leave the EU? Would seem the logical to do to follow Britain out given the close trading links,and to ensure no physical border in Ireland

[heganboy]

So why is it averse to leave the EU? Would seem the logical to do to follow Britain out given the close trading links,and to ensure no physical border in Ireland

Why do we trade internationally? Why do we have international trade agreements?

Why is Ireland a country, why do we have Bunreacht na hÉireann? Surely we'd all be better looking after ourselves- Darwin and all that

[T Fearon]

It is still not independent.It has to enact EU laws and relied on a massive EU bailout.

[Eamonnca1]

So why is it averse to leave the EU? Would seem the logical to do to follow Britain out given the close trading links,and to ensure no physical border in Ireland

Access to the EU is one of the big selling points for multinational companies locating in Ireland. Following the Brits off the exit cliff like lemmings is no way to conduct policy.

56% of Irish exports go to the continent. The top 15 trading partners (2016 figures, exports) are:

United States: US$33.2 billion (25.9% of total Irish exports)
United Kingdom: $16.3 billion (12.7%)
Belgium: $16.3 billion (12.7%)
Germany: $8.4 billion (6.6%)
Switzerland: $6.9 billion (5.4%)
Netherlands: $6.5 billion (5.1%)
France: $5.4 billion (4.2%)
China: $3.3 billion (2.6%)
Spain: $3.2 billion (2.5%)
Japan: $3.1 billion (2.4%)
Italy: $2.6 billion (2.1%)
Australia: $1.6 billion (1.3%)
Israel: $1.6 billion (1.3%)
Poland: $1.5 billion (1.2%)
Mexico: $1.5 billion (1.2%)

Source

[BennyCake]

So why is it averse to leave the EU? Would seem the logical to do to follow Britain out given the close trading links,and to ensure no physical border in Ireland

Totally agree.

[Rossfan]

So why is it averse to leave the EU? Would seem the logical to do to follow Britain out given the close trading links,and to ensure no physical border in Ireland

We want to be an outgoing cosmopolitan part of the great big world and not glued to an insular right wing xenophobic shower of hoors.

[BennyCake]

So why is it averse to leave the EU? Would seem the logical to do to follow Britain out given the close trading links,and to ensure no physical border in Ireland

We want to be an outgoing cosmopolitan part of the great big world and not glued to an insular right wing xenophobic shower of hoors.

That's no way to talk about your EU masters.

[armaghniac]

That's no way to talk about your EU masters.

The EU are not our masters, it is an organisation in which we are partners.

[Rossfan]

Ahhh Armaghniac you're bringing facts into things
As for the bailout - that was a serious of loans which have to be PAID BACK WITH INTEREST!!!!
Our great "friends" in Westminster loaned us some money as prte of the bailout at 8% interest, reduced to 6% when rates dropped.
With friends like that....

[T Fearon]

Bullshit it was EU subventions that built up the infrastructure of the South.There is no sovereignty,all EU laws,no control over immigration etc

[Tubberman]

Bullshit it was EU subventions that built up the infrastructure of the South.There is no sovereignty,all EU laws,no control over immigration etc

NI is in the EU as well, why is your infrastructure so far behind the south?

[T Fearon]

Our infrastructure has been way ahead of the South since our motorways were built in the 1960s

[BennyCake]

That's no way to talk about your EU masters.

The EU are not our masters, it is an organisation in which we are partners.

That's what they tell you. In reality, it's an organisation where it's members bend over and take it up the jacksie.

[Eamonnca1]

Bullshit it was EU subventions that built up the infrastructure of the South.There is no sovereignty,all EU laws,no control over immigration etc

Au contraire:

"The expansion of the EU's structural funds after the Maastricht treaty of 1992 was helpful, but even then transfers never exceeded 5% of Irish GDP, a far smaller proportion than, say, west German transfers to east Germany. The most authoritative studies suggest that EU subsidies may have added around 0.5% a year to growth during the 1990s—useful, but modest in the context of average growth of 6.9%."

Source

[Eamonnca1]

Our infrastructure has been way ahead of the South since our motorways were built in the 1960s

That's nice. Any progress on getting the Banbridge dual carriageway upgraded to a motorway? It's the only stretch of the Belfast-Dublin road that is not motorway and it's in the north.