A United Ireland. Opening up the discussion.

[Hand of God]

Who'd need Sinn Féin in an (imaginary at present) All Ireland entity? What would they stand for?
Would there be an "Ulster British" Party?
The new AI won't be any extension of Crossmaglen.

Last GE here had Centrists (FF, FG, gene pool Independents, Marian Harkin etc) getting around 50% of the vote.
Real Left Wingers c25% at most.
Sinn Féin and other populists c20%.

Your world view is pretty wild.

You don't seriously believe that FF are "centrists" and SF are "populists"? It's just another smear attack isn't it.

FF are the party of Bertie Ahern, Charlie Haughey, P Flynn, Liam Lawlor etc - they are a party who stand for nothing else than getting themselves in power and staying. The party who wouldn't go into govt with FG and then did - that's populism, you don't seem to understand the term. FF are the most populist party in the history of the state. Lies after broken promises, all to get power. Telling people what they want to hear and the rolling back in it once you have power is the focal point of populism. FF lie to the electorate and mislead them without any sense of accountability of it.

FG on the other hand have their origins in far right fascism.

Just stop smearing, it makes look you like an uneducated slabberer.

Had a little chuckle at this.

Here is the short definition of populism for you, since you're as clueless about that as you are on about every topic you post on:

'a political approach that strives to appeal to ordinary people who feel that their concerns are disregarded by established elite groups.'

A read of this might educate. Populism is what the right do. The right is the spectrum FF and FG sit on. FF and FG immediately coming out and dog whistling the far right after a bad election is a clear example of populism. Telling the people what they want to hear with zero sincerity on the matter. They routinely lie to the electorate for votes.

[Banks of the Bann]

Populism is not confined to any particular side of the left-right divide.

What you've described above is telling lies. Also not confined to any particular side.

I've already provided you with an accurate definition. I'm not surprised though that you ignore that and conjure up any old shite that comes into your head. It's what you do in pretty much any topic you 'debate' on.

[armaghniac]

Populism is not confined to any particular side of the left-right divide.

Populism is inevitable, you have to get elected.
But there should be no toleration of falsehoods from any source.

[DaleCooper]

Yup. Mass democracy is populism incarnate which is why every intelligent mind in history DESPISED it.

[armaghniac]

Yup. Mass democracy is populism incarnate which is why every intelligent mind in history DESPISED it.

As Winston Churchill rephrased it
Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.

[Rossfan]

Bryson and Allister won't like this

https://www.rte.ie/news/leinster/2025/1119/1544600-dundalk-institute-of-technology/

[andoireabu]

Bryson and Allister won't like this

https://www.rte.ie/news/leinster/2025/1119/1544600-dundalk-institute-of-technology/

Stuff like this is what I've always wondered about in a UI. Would someone with a law, medical or teaching qualification from Queen's or UU be able to work / practice in a new UI. Similar with qualifications gained in the Republic, how would they reconcile which system is the "right" one to keep?

[JPGJOHNNYG]

Bryson and Allister won't like this

https://www.rte.ie/news/leinster/2025/1119/1544600-dundalk-institute-of-technology/

Sure the head of the British medical association in Northern Ireland was on Nolan the other day saying we should at the very least discuss leaving the NHS and lining up an all Ireland health care or at least copy the republics model. That would be the NHS the likes of Allister use as the main reason to stay in the UK

[Tubberman]

Bryson and Allister won't like this

https://www.rte.ie/news/leinster/2025/1119/1544600-dundalk-institute-of-technology/

Stuff like this is what I've always wondered about in a UI. Would someone with a law, medical or teaching qualification from Queen's or UU be able to work / practice in a new UI. Similar with qualifications gained in the Republic, how would they reconcile which system is the "right" one to keep?

I would imagine that initially each side would "recognise" the qualifications from the other side as equal to their own.
Over time each would merge to a unified system.

[Milltown Row2]

The basics are the same surely? Teaching or medical is common in any country, be just insuring they are following procedures of curriculum and practice

Going back to my pet hate, social media is driving this place apart, division is as bad as ever, and every layabout unemployed arsehole with a mobile phone is a 'content creator' Freedomdad, Lyndsey somebody, the great provincewide protest toolbag with the beard and pontytail, Carla Lockhart, the other one who'd eat himself if he was chocolate Buckley and last be no means least Brett somebody!

The first few are conspiracy theorists who haven't a baldy notion, and while claiming we should all join together their masks slip so many times!

While these people drive division along with the other tools like Jamie, Alister and so, they have enough of an audience to feed their flock, as much as people think an UI is coming soon, or the question of it is, I fear its still a lifetime away   

[Armagh18]

Does teaching/nursing not carry over? Know people who'd have trained in the north working in the south? Maybe they've to do a test or something to validate the qualification

[tonto1888]

do you not need some level of irish to teach in the south?

[lurganblue]

The basics are the same surely? Teaching or medical is common in any country, be just insuring they are following procedures of curriculum and practice

Going back to my pet hate, social media is driving this place apart, division is as bad as ever, and every layabout unemployed arsehole with a mobile phone is a 'content creator' Freedomdad, Lyndsey somebody, the great provincewide protest toolbag with the beard and pontytail, Carla Lockhart, the other one who'd eat himself if he was chocolate Buckley and last be no means least Brett somebody!

The first few are conspiracy theorists who haven't a baldy notion, and while claiming we should all join together their masks slip so many times!

While these people drive division along with the other tools like Jamie, Alister and so, they have enough of an audience to feed their flock, as much as people think an UI is coming soon, or the question of it is, I fear its still a lifetime away   

Didnt know who this was until a few weeks ago.

""Freedom Dad" is the widely used social media handle of Mark Sinclair, a convicted former UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force) armed bank robber turned self-styled "citizen journalist" and anti-immigrant activist from Northern Ireland."

He rocked up in Lurgan because there was a a weekend row with the oul forners. Straight on saying he has to be careful cos he's very close to Kilwilkie, and there he was sitting up in people's houses interviewing them.  What type of people let him in their house to have him record them. madness.   

[imtommygunn]

Is there anyone out there who calls themselves a  "citizen journalist" and isn't an absolute sc**bag?

I have yet to see anyone.

[Pub Bore]

do you not need some level of irish to teach in the south?

At primary level, yes.  If you were educated outside the 26 counties you can get up to 5 years to bring yourself up to the required level.

At secondary level, generally no.  Unless of course you are employed to teach Irish, teach in a Gaelscoil, or a school in a Gaeltacht area where Irish is the first language.  So if you teach Physics in a secondary school outside the Gaeltacht, there's no requirement to have any proficiency in Irish.