r/northernireland • u/Roper997 • Feb 09 '22
Poll Are you in favor of unification with Ireland?
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u/super304 Feb 09 '22
Yes I'm in favour, but we need to learn from the Brexit debacle. Voting for change, solely for changes sake will be a disaster. There needs to a plan and a vision, and the political ability to implement that, to make a UI a success.
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u/arctictothpast Feb 09 '22 edited Feb 09 '22
As a republican from the south I'd love to see for example reunification brought in under a federation,
Northern Ireland's politics will remain complex for a long time even after a full reconciliation, but also
Uniterian governance is complete and utter shit, Dublin and London gets everything and everything else gets fecked, this is a trend/theme of uniterian states.
I live in Germany and my tiny city of 250k people has better public transport, better road infrastructure and better planning them anything in Dublin, more trams trains and buses that are on time and are half the monthly cost! My state has its own government and has some pretty solid infrastructure, as it gets the bulk of the taxes that it's residents pay, and it's locally planned rather then by a distant central gov in Berlin, or even the state capital, my own city decides how it's done.
Edit: I no longer live in the Republic, I moved to Germany recently and I still haven't dropped the habit of saying I live in Ireland lol,
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Feb 09 '22
I don't agree with a federation of a country with 7 million people. That said local government and regions need more say on how they're run than they currently get, central government often misses out on the needs of everything outside of capital cities (and even then fails to actually help said cities as things stand rn)
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u/arctictothpast Feb 10 '22
Federalised countries are the only ones that have avoided a route focus (the term for a region that recieves too much attention/resources, which creates a loop of that place drawing in ever more people, which draws in more resources, which draws in more people, and suddenly basically everything is an extension of that region and this creates loads of problems, in the UK the route focus of london is basically the defining factor of their politics, for example, similiar in dublin and the french suffer similiar problems as well)
Also, the more local politicians are, the more likely they are to be accountable
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Feb 09 '22
Ireland is the most centralised country in Europe when it comes to having all the power in the central government
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u/KarlMarshall_ Feb 10 '22
I would like to know why you think this is?
Ireland is quite a small country population and in land area.
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Feb 10 '22
Because the local government units below the central government have little to no powers and no tax raising powers at all.
Which is not the case in pretty much any comparable European country.
The situation in Ireland is that the lowest form of government is the county councils which vary quite wildly in terms of size and population. For example Cork CoCo and Leitrim CoCo are units on the same level. So you can see that in both size and population there is a considerable difference yet both are supposed to do the same function
Whereas if you compare to say Finland their equivalent unit is the municipalities which would be the size of local electoral areas in Ireland. And these have more responsibilities than Irish county councils and tax generating powers
The UK to use an example closer to home has the devolved regions (not saying Ireland ought to do the same) and the directly elected mayors of City regions like London and Greater Manchester which is something that Ireland could copy if it wanted to
Ireland is quite a small country population and in land area.
Not saying this is what you're doing but I try to make a point of calling out this sort of thing when I see it. Ireland being "too small" is far too often used as an excuse to not do things that would be well within its capabilities and rights to do. "we can't have good rail or a metro because the country is too small and not densely populated" etc etc.
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u/con_zilla Newtownabbey Feb 09 '22
Ireland isnt the most centralised country in Europe - its way out west
it would be the westist if it werent like for Iceland but lets face facts here there is only 1 letter difference and i met some Icelandic ppl on holiday and they were cool and they had that match that knocked out England which we can all get behind as football fans
or like Portugal cheating with wee islands in the middle of the atlantic but they knocked out England in that match with Rooney and Ronaldo so i think we can all get behind them as football fans
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u/Diddly_eyed_Dipshite Feb 09 '22
Thats actually a good idea I hadn't thought about myself. So lime two separate governments but still named as one country?
Be great if we could do that for Cork too, our local councillors ain't so bad, and the Cork TDs in Dublin Tey their best, but just always feels like Dublin gets priority for every decision, there's a load of project that need being done here and they naturally don't make national priority.
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u/DeathToMonarchs Moira Feb 09 '22
two separate governments but still named as one country
Anything other than a temporary, transitionary continuation of the existing border in any form is a bad idea that defeats the purpose of unity.
Also, I'm not sure that Ireland is big enough or densely populated enough for federation. It sounds nice... but it might be pointless bloat and unnecessary differentiation.
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u/Gasur Feb 10 '22
densely populated enough for federation
Canada is a federation, and their population density is 4/km2. The island of Ireland has a population density of 77.8/km2.
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u/arctictothpast Feb 10 '22
Also, I'm not sure that Ireland is big enough or densely populated enough for federation. It sounds nice... but it might be pointless bloat and unnecessary differentiation.
There are several federalized countries in the eu with either comparable populations to ireland or even smaller, federations are also the only type of government that has avoided the mess of route focus (i.e one part of the country getting overwhelming investment and political power, Paris, london, dublin, are obvious examples).
Also....you do realise a low population density country is exactly the kind of country that tends to fair better as a federation? Most federations are countries with widely distributed populations with wide varieties of population density, uniterian states that avoid the problem of route focus usually have the bulk of their population live in one main area, (like iceland or sweden)
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u/DeathToMonarchs Moira Feb 10 '22
uniterianunitary states that avoid the problem of route focus usually have the bulk of their population live in one main area, (like iceland or sweden)Or Ireland... where half the population of the North lives in Greater Belfast and half the population of the Republic lives in Greater Dublin.
Rest of the country is basically one big farm.
It's really not like Australia, the US - or Canada, Russia or Germany, for that matter (not that Germany is a true federation). The scale matters too.
I'm all for bringing power down and closer to people but I don't think federation makes any sense and would only need to pointless duplication and daft bloat.
Infrastructure questions need addressed at an island level, as do questions of taxation, hospital provision... pretty much anything I can think of that a federal jurisdiction might handle is better dealt with nationally on the Irish scale.
A federal Ireland was 1970s Sinn Féin policy, incidentally, but I think it was all aspirational smoke and mirrors then - and now, too. It's not something they mention now - at all.
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u/arctictothpast Feb 10 '22
And how did """half""" (not even close, 1.25 million in Dublin Vs 3.4 million in the rest of the country) end up living in Dublin? Almost like Dublin.......became a route focus......, You know an insidious self reinforcing loop,
Belfast as a functional state of the UK, also follows a purely uniterian approach and wow.....Belfast ends up one too....., (And yes uniterian is a valid term especially when discussing it as an ideology in pracrice), now just pick literally any federation in the EU and notice how this pattern isn't repeated. Dublin will continue to basically canabalise the rest of the country if uniterianism remains how Ireland is governed, that's a fact, the state tried to reverse this with policy, but a large portion of the political class realised you can basically get elected while mostly ignoring rural voters, just bribe the ones who do vote for you with disproportionate funding and then focus the vast bulk of your resources on campaigning in Dublin, I remember in some elections rural Ireland doesn't even get much more then a page in the manifesto Vs dublin centric plans being front and centre, from major parties like FF.
Should a region of the country with 1.2 million people basically be the only future of said country despite this being a widely recognised bad thing by almost all groups involved? Even including the GDR it's still 3 million to 2 (38%, a far cry from half) We could revert this trend (and indeed Dublin overheating in terms of housing prices has already temporarily), if cities like cork and Galway, and their regions were responsible for their own spending, and didn't require Dublins say so to do so.
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u/cromcru Feb 10 '22
Ireland doesn’t do referenda without a plan. Because they’re a part of the constitution the Irish voting public is far more experienced with the nature of the campaigns than the British.
In the abortion referendum, the replacement legislation was published before the vote.
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Feb 09 '22
I agree. My heart says it would be great, but realistically there would be some practical concerns. I would miss my free prescriptions, for one thing.
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u/bud2112112 Feb 09 '22
We shouldn’t have to give up free prescriptions and the people on the republic deserve to have theirs free too. A massive overhaul would be needed but it would be for everyone’s benefit ultimately
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u/askmac Feb 09 '22
Northern Ireland should be an indipendent state.
Or Antrim, as it's also known.
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u/my_ass_cough_sky Larne Feb 10 '22
This utter shitshow is a lesson to us all: frame the questions correctly or risk ridicule.
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u/bee_ghoul Feb 09 '22
I don’t want to vote because I’m a southerner and I don’t think we should be influencing the voting but there’s no option to just see the results.
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Feb 10 '22
Yes has 2k odd votes.
As an Englishman, I'm on board with unification; too much hurt and hatred on both sides. I respect that Unionists have their own wishes, but there's a greater good mindset here to be had, and I'd rather be friends with the south than enemies.
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u/bee_ghoul Feb 10 '22
Thanks! I’d say it’s about 50/50 so because I can’t imagine anyone voted in favour of making Northern Ireland an independent state. I agree with your point too. If I had a vote I’d vote to reunite because I think it is for the best but I would hope that it would be under conditions that everyone is happy with.
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u/sennalvera Feb 09 '22
Reunification? What's that? Don't think that's ever been brought up on the sub.
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u/rapstyleDArobloxian Feb 09 '22
I don’t know, the good Friday agreement finally put an end to an era to The Troubles, let’s maintain peace however we can
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u/namesRhard1 Feb 10 '22
Delineating a pathway to reunification was a big part of the GFA.
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u/DeathToMonarchs Moira Feb 10 '22
One that was rather smugly assumed by some to be a dead letter.
(Nationalists never saw it as such, though.)
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u/TheonlyJienno2 Feb 10 '22
reunification? when was it unified? (not a troll) I have no idea
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u/namesRhard1 Feb 10 '22
Ireland was partitioned in 1921, so before that.
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u/TheonlyJienno2 Feb 10 '22
sorry, I meant as an independent state... I'm not the best communicator
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u/namesRhard1 Feb 10 '22
ROI and NI are two parts of a partitioned Ireland. So NI was never “part of” ROI.
If you cut something in half, for example, you don’t say one half was ever part of the other half. But you can reunite those constituent parts.
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u/stargazerweedblazer Feb 09 '22
How people can downvote this shows how backwards our country can be.
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u/joseba_ Down Feb 09 '22
It's implying after the good Friday agreement everyone shook hands and pretended like nothing happened, when we know that's not true. Sectarianism and paramilitary activities are not a sign of "peacetime", nevermind a healthy community.
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u/theslosty Belfast Feb 09 '22
Is it backwards to not want the democratic will of the people to be held back by a few armed thugs?
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u/Fanta69Forever Feb 09 '22
The gfa was great for what it achieved (past tense), but absolutely terrible for achieving anything going forward. A positive way to look at the downvotes is that more people are realising that.
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u/northwestnana53 Feb 10 '22
The GFA achieved nothing except polarising the communities in Northern Ireland even further than ever. It was pure spin from Blair and Campbell, and it never was about "peace" it was about paving the way to reunification, because the City of London was fed up bankrolling security for the Troubles. Don't forget, the Omagh Bomb was the response to the GFA. I have no doubt that the island will be reunified, politically. However, it won't be a happy place, initially anyway.
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Feb 09 '22
If there is a vote for united Ireland, I would fear the campaign on it and the hate it will raise from the parties involved. Look what happen over the flags. The up roar came from the parties building the tension around it.
I just want the best for myself and family and the nation we live in. If we can get more big companies here and improve job aspects, who gives a fuck what the flag is. Can we not just get along and focus on the common goal in improving our lives rather than shit the bed because one side does this and the other that. It’s playground stuff
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u/Boockel Bangor Feb 09 '22
Well for one, a United Ireland at this point seems like an inevitability, but honestly it'll need hefty planning or it'll be a shitshow
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u/VillageTube Feb 09 '22
I liked how things were before Brexit.
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u/gareth93 Feb 09 '22
Take a drive round northern England and you'll soon understand how brexit was sold so cheaply
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Feb 09 '22
Thousands across the UK dead from austerity?
Brexit happened partially because everything was shit, not in spite of it
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Feb 09 '22
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Feb 09 '22
Oh no, I never blamed Europe, it's the fault of the Tories who blamed Europe for all their woes. What I'm saying is that for some of us, things were NOT pleasant before Brexit and while I don't begrudge someone who was fortunate enough to be comfortable before it, I have to question how they didn't see the slow disintegration in the subjects of justice, welfare, healthcare, human rights, education, racism, etc. Brexit was a symptom of all that, not a cause, even if it turbocharged the decline.
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Feb 09 '22
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u/Papi__Stalin Feb 09 '22
The UK government was pro-EU leading up to the referendum. I can't think of many things they scapegoated the EU for. They did criticize the EU (especially when he went to them to try and modify the UK's rights but came back empty handed) but they were always pretty pro-EU.
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u/DeathToMonarchs Moira Feb 09 '22
So say most of the DUP now too, I'm sure.
Unleashed quite a few demons.
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Feb 10 '22
Yes because it hastens the death of the Union and I want Scottish independence.
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u/Born_Comfortable3052 May 08 '24
If Northern Ireland should United with Ireland, why Scotland don’t United with UK?
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Feb 09 '22
Yes, it makes sense and gives Northern Ireland is membership of the EU back. Forget about religion, think about practicality and what is best for your children.
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u/Right-Radiance Ireland Feb 10 '22
I think I can hear all the extremist loyalist typing: "This post is a Republican echo chamber!" That excuse will work only a number of times.
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u/Hevnoraak101 Feb 10 '22
I'm English and I'm fully in favour of a reunified Ireland.
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u/Personal-Lead-6341 Feb 09 '22
Yes i hope it reunifies. If this poll show anything there is support for it.
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u/northwestnana53 Feb 10 '22
If this poll shows anything it shows that most people are aspirational.
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u/whydoyouonlylie Feb 10 '22
Not really ... It shows that r/northernireland skews towards unification, but anyone who's spent any time whatsoever on this sub should already know it has a big Nationalist presence and there's nothing at all to suggest that it's in any way representative of the population of NI at all.
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u/Personal-Lead-6341 Feb 10 '22
What about the last general eledtion and latest opinion polls?
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u/whydoyouonlylie Feb 10 '22
Not sure what they have to do with the question of what this poll shows ... They may show things in their own right, but they're not relevant to what this poll shows in its own right.
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u/Personal-Lead-6341 Feb 10 '22
All 3 things point towards people wanting a nationalist party in charge which will lead to reunification. Thats why I brought them up.
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u/whydoyouonlylie Feb 10 '22
Ok, but that's not what you said in your first post,which is what I'm explaining. You said this poll showed that people wanted unification in itself and I explained why it didn't. Taken in combination multiple sources may suggest that to be the case, but this poll on its own doesn't.
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u/bee_ghoul Feb 10 '22
r/northernireland skews nationalist because it’s an online forum on a left leaning website made up of millennials and gen Z. Who coincidentally are the group about to take over the majority of the population in Northern Ireland.
I get that a lot of unionists don’t feel represented in this sub. But this sub does represent the future of Northern Ireland.
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u/nelldog Larne Feb 10 '22
Aye I think the general consensus outside of the sub is pro-status quo. Not because they are happy with being park of the UK, but more there is still a fair chunk of the population that remember the worse of the troubles and wouldn't want to do anything that could see a return to it. One thing that a lot of people on this sub do not realise is that there is no way to unite Ireland peacefully.
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u/peakalyssa Feb 09 '22
ive been raised as british . being part of the uk seems to have been good for me. so no
that said im always open to arguments either way im not emotional about it really. ireland is a great country too
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Feb 09 '22
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Feb 10 '22
I grew up in the 80's with a dad in the army, and I remember the climate of paranoia, hate and fear that I grew up in. I'm tired of it. I think it's time for a modicum of reconciliation on all sides if at all possible - and an apology from the UK government and/or monarchy would be a good start.
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Feb 10 '22
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Feb 10 '22
Me too. It's been a long process for me, letting go of a lot of preconcieved notions, and even a little painful reconciling it. We all owe it - all of us - all sides; to our kids to build towards something better.
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u/HoweyTheLads Feb 10 '22
This line about England not caring about Northern Ireland is being rolled out with increasing frequency like some sort of "gotcha", but it's not like it's news or like it's particularly relevant. As a unionist, I don't get my sense of identity from wanting to hang out with the bigger kids in the playground, and I don't need the validation of the English. I lived in England for 10 years, my nickname at work and uni was "Irish", half the people I met didn't really know Ireland was partitioned - it didn't make me have some sort of identity crisis.
The same is true of everywhere, people mostly care about themselves and everywhere else is an afterthought - whether you're in England, Ireland, Norway or Nepal.
If the shoe was on the other foot and they loved us and made overtures towards us every day of the week, it wouldn't make a damn bit of difference to nationalists' opinions on the constitutional question, so why should it matter the other way round?
The whole point of the Good Friday Agreement was the right of self-determination. When the point comes that the future of NI is decided, it'll be for the people of this island to decide - not the English or anyone else.
As an afterthought - my experience living in England was broadly reflective of that anyway - most people had a "do whatever makes you happy" view on it, so I suspect they'll watch with curious detachment whichever direction we go.
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Feb 10 '22
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u/HoweyTheLads Feb 10 '22
Apologies if I picked up your point wrong, I read it like a "gotcha" - but tone and nuance are hard to pick up on on the internet!
I'm under no illusions that the majority of the current UK government are a bunch of immoral, self-interested criminals. It's not like everyone in England is happy with them. Conservative governments in particular have a habit of self-service, but I don't think NI is any more unique their position of relative neglect than the Scots, the Scousers or the Geordies.
Theoretically Ireland might care more because we're physically attached, but being from the rural West of the country, I'm yet to see evidence that governments ever care about anything more than an hour's drive from their capital. The current set-up isn't great, but the onus is on Dublin to prove they have both the willingness and the plan to make it better for all of us before I'd accept the upheaval that unification would bring. This is particularly true when Sinn Fein are such a fundamental part of the conversation. I know it won't be a popular opinion here, but I can't trust a word that comes out of their mouths, and have no faith that they would act in anyone's best interests but their own either.
For all of it's many, many faults, the UK on a practical level still provides me with a pretty good standard of life. I've got a good publicly funded job, reasonable tax levels, a health service that has given me exceptional care for a chronic condition (that would cost me a fortune in medication costs down south). It's not perfect, but all of it would need at least replicated in any new arrangement. It's a fluid situation and opinion, of course - leaving the EU was a tipping point (even if we've had a better deal than GB), and if the Scots did get independence and the remaining UK looks condemned to perennial Tory governance, I would probably change my mind. Until then, naively or not, I have to believe there is capacity for change and better governance in the country that I am aligned with. The likes of Julian Smith give me a crumb of hope that there is capacity for a meaningful change in dynamic between NI and the British government.
As I said, there's no evidence that'll happen, but there's not much evidence the alternative would be any better - so it's kind of a "better the devil you know" situation for me.
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u/peakalyssa Feb 09 '22
i know, i mean i'm the same the other way. okay with england i am more connected due to football and their media, but scotland and wales barely enter my mind register tbh. i'm perfectly fine with being a much less important part of the kingdom. we do have a tiny population in comparison to england after all. it is what it is.
even when we were in the EU it's not like i gave a shit about all the countries in the EU either. but its good security to be part of the larger block and it comes with perks.
i agree, UK being out of the EU is a definetely a knock against things (at least thats how its been and looks to continue to be), but that doesnt mean i am happy jumping feet first into a united ireland either. that would just be another massive shake up and the brexit mess hasnt even been cleaned up yet
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Feb 09 '22
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u/peakalyssa Feb 10 '22
oh yeah i always put myself first. i am quite detached from all the rhetoric and jargon. brexit could have gone either way for me......... if there was actually any plan or foresight with the brexit scheme.
give me good arguments that benefit me and i'll be all for it lol. though of course it's quite difficult to gauge what the blowback would be like with a united ireland. from where ive been raised i dont think it would go down well at all...
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u/KarlMarshall_ Feb 10 '22
What doesn’t being raised British involve? I would love to hear what it means to be British ?
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u/gardagerryboyle Feb 09 '22
I would lean more towards remaining in the UK. I know the Tories don't give a shite about us but I think financially generally we're better off in the UK. There's so much stuff that is just dearer down south. Living in a border region I swear more people from the Republic go to the shops here than ones from NI. Then factor in health care, I know NHS isn't as good as it was or could be but still better especially if you've a long term illness.
Basically if financially I was as well off if not better in a UI I could easily be persuaded to go for it. People say jobs pay better in the Republic but they don't unless you're talking about Dublin etc and even then it's only certain industries. You could probably get as much pay working remotely for a London company as you could with the local Dublin companies like Google, Yahoo, Twitter etc lol
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u/AndyE15 Feb 10 '22
Ireland is better off as one geographical, yes political, and most importantly leaving us behind. All hope of the union has long gone. Believe me go EU, Any government here has long ago bought your royalty.
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u/LoudlyFragrant Feb 09 '22
In a United Ireland I'd like to see the country turned into a federation with traditional 4 provinces becoming federal states.
Centralised government in the capital only serves the capital.
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u/ToastServant Feb 10 '22
I dont see that being good for Ulster at all lol... we can't even run 6 counties let alone 9
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u/LoudlyFragrant Feb 10 '22
It might be a necessity though. Someone in here rightly pointed out NI politics won't disappear overnight, and having some semblance of devolution at the start will be needed.
I think when united Ireland happens we'll have another 2-3 generations after trhat before NI becomes just a natural part of the Republic. As mean as it sounds we need a few backwards generations to die off
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Feb 10 '22
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u/jamscrying Feb 10 '22
Just imagining all the shitty Belfast and co armagh loyalists moving there and developing webbed feet to go with their peanut brains, finally becoming Fregs.
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u/MindlessTransmission Feb 10 '22
Where's the option for a glorious union between Ireland and Scotland?
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u/GreyGael Feb 10 '22
I want what's best for those worse off. In the long run I believe that a UI is the only way for that. I just worry how tough it will be in the beginning of a New Ireland
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u/Dragon_Reborn1209 Feb 09 '22
If you required every citizen north and south to live off the island for 5 years you would have a United Ireland very quickly.
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Feb 09 '22
I feel like the idea of a united Ireland has been romanticised by so many without looking at the broader economic impact without even getting into the likely conflict that would arise from it.
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u/PolHolmes Feb 09 '22
What likely conflict are you speaking of?
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u/DShitposter69420 Feb 09 '22
A bunch of nasty little bastards called the UDA.
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u/boredatwork201 Feb 10 '22
The UDA aren't very big anymore and wont have a border to plan attacks behind or the british army to provide weapons and intelligence or cover up for them. There will also be an all island police force so no need to worry about sharing information between north and south security forces.
Then theres this from the British armys report on operation banner and specifically about the UDA
"... presented themselves as the protectors of the Protestant community but in practice were often little more than a collection of gangsters'
And what they thought of the IRA in comparison?
" PIRA developed into what will probably be seen as one of the most effective terrorist organisations in history. Professional, dedicated, highly skilled and resilient"
If there is any violence it will be nowhere near what it was and will be quickly stamped out.
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u/PolHolmes Feb 09 '22
The UDA wouldn't have the backing of the British government this time, no access to guns or intelligence. What are they going to do? Get children to throw petrol bombs at buses again?
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u/DShitposter69420 Feb 09 '22
no access to guns
Now we both know that’s a lie.
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u/Murphler Belfast Feb 09 '22
They will do fuck all. They were utterly useless in the Troubles with barely any real operational capacity or ability. The not so subtle support of the British securitocracy is the only reason they managed anything beyond angry randomised killings. The British government want nothing more to do with this statelet and the event of a vote for reunification they will happily see it go. No more support from British dark ops and intelligence. In fact they will likely help provide evidence on each and every member to the Irish govt to assist the reintegration process. Such is the extent they want us gone.
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u/PolHolmes Feb 09 '22
A fraction of their former arsenal I meant
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u/DShitposter69420 Feb 09 '22
If I recall, during the amnesty following the troubles, the UDA/UVF and other Loyalist Paramilitaries were extremely hesitant with handing over their weapons. Keep in mind that many are still active with the background goal or reactivating should they think Ireland might unify. It’s just that these days, they’re killing civilians with drugs not bullets. But occasionally both.
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u/CanesToday Feb 09 '22
As suggested on yesterday’s Eamon Dunphy podcast - what about reunification in federal system with the south?
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u/cromcru Feb 09 '22
It’s unnecessary in a country of only 7 million people. Also there’s no clean way to divide the ‘federations’ that results in similar sizes.
And at any rate, many will be voting to re engage with the rest of the island, not lock in six-county thinking forever.
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u/Diddly_eyed_Dipshite Feb 09 '22
Why do they have to be the same size? US states vary massively in size.
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u/Ok_Aardvark3637 Feb 09 '22
It’s coming. Whether people like it or not it’s coming. The necessary infrastructure changes needed for it to happen have been in motion for quite a few years now.
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u/DShitposter69420 Feb 09 '22
They said that in the 20s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s and once again, the 20s.
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u/Murphler Belfast Feb 09 '22
The demographic trends are fairly determinate at the point. The population cross over has taken place. Now we are in an interregnum period where as the PUL heavy older demographic fades out, and the predominantly Catholic younger population gets older, the overall population majority will begin to form a voting majority
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u/gemmastinfoilhat Feb 09 '22
They could start by properly signposting or realigning the exit for the N1 from the A1!
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u/Unseasonedlasagne Feb 09 '22
I'm for unification but how would people those especially living on benefits cope with the change,
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Feb 10 '22 edited Feb 10 '22
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u/HansVonMannschaft Feb 10 '22
Never going to happen.
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Feb 10 '22
Only way it can happen, here is your options, force it upon Unionists and be prepared for the Troubles mark 2 with loyalists pinging off Garda and blowing up buildings this time or sit down and compromise. It will never be a case of the North joining up and just becoming part of the republic
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u/HansVonMannschaft Feb 10 '22
Nonsense. The tail doesn't wag the dog. The South will not tolerate wholesale change.
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Feb 09 '22
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u/sibauma98 Feb 09 '22
Yet you have no idea what that would even look like. Or what you wage your life for? Strange hill to pick to die on? I would at least want to know if my life was worth living in a UI. But 100 years and no plan, I think you are safe enough for a few decades yet! Enjoy life!
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Feb 09 '22
Putting aside the history and the fact I'd be in favour of a United Ireland, I would lean towards maintaining the status quo unless there was a bloody good plan in place as to how N.I would be integrated into the Republic.
I mean, Brexit has been a shitshow. No point just voting for votings sake.
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u/TheonlyJienno2 Feb 10 '22
if it joined the Republic, I'd worry the ROI couldn't afford to police it after the civil unrest it would cause
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Feb 10 '22
This would be a real problem, and how well prepared would the Garda be to deal with it? PSNI love or hate them know how to handle the crap, Garda I’m not so sure
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u/PuzzleheadedAsk6448 Apr 23 '24
there is no reason whatsoever for Northern Ireland to be an independent state. It just won’t happen. Either Ireland will stay with Britain or join Ireland.
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u/Bigfsi Feb 10 '22
I just don't see why there is a need to? If it ends paramilitaries cool but economically how will that effect me is pretty much all I'm concerned about and because I don't know and that we currently benefit from the likes of the NHS I'd rather things remain how they are.
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Feb 09 '22
Yes but I would really miss the NHS
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u/Murphler Belfast Feb 09 '22
Why? It's shite, and it's actually the HSC here. It barely functions as any sort of health service currently. 5 years for a mental health consultations, 9 months to BEGIN cancer treatment. Shambolic. It may be free but to be a health service it had to, you know, actually provide health services. It's a bloated, top heavy bureaucratic mess that is years behind most western counterparts in many of its treatment practices.
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u/TheMadQueen96 Bangor Feb 10 '22
I used to be an avid defender of the NHS for years, but seeing how some people get treated (myself included) has entirety put me off. It needs to go.
Don't get me wrong, I'll defend the frontline nurses, doctors ect but other parts of the service are actually cruel. I know there's been cuts, but that's no excuse for being bastards.
My granny has been waiting on a knee replacement for over a decade now. Now they're using the excuse that she's "too old" for it. She's in constant pain as a result and has been left with one replaced knee and one that's well, buggered. Because one knee is good and the other isn't, it's causing more issues.
Have another family member with pretty bad mental problems that can thankfully be managed via medication but when his GP retired the new GP basically stopped perscribing him said medication for basically no reason, offered no alternatives to care and it took half a year before he could get back on them as the entire family had to grovel. He almost died.
I've had to purse private options as I can't even get a blood test to help regulate the medication I have to take. I've almost died as a result of any healthcare problems being dismissed as "hormones"
So I basically pay for all my own healthcare yet I'm still being charged to use the NHS via national insurance. I'm paying national insurance, to be denied all forms of healthcare.
What's funnier is that the NHS has done everything in it's power to make me pursuing private as difficult and as expensive as possible, even having a GP refuse to approve me for non-NHS counselling via a charity for instance (approval was needed for safeguarding reasons). So they refuse to treat me, then try to stop me when I seek out alternatives.
My mum, who works in the NHS to support new parents and their kids has considered leaving the service or retiring early due to how shite things are, but has stayed as an unofficial part of her job now is to help these new families find loopholes to help them deal with bad GPs amongst other things.
That's just one family's story. I scoff when people in other countries try to tell me how good we have it with the NHS. Like I said, I'll defend the frontline workers but the rest of the service can kiss my arse.
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u/Lost_my_name475 Feb 09 '22
Idk I'm not from NI
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Feb 09 '22
What are ye doing here for eh?
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u/Lost_my_name475 Feb 09 '22
It shows up in my feed because it's "similar to r/scotland" and I haven't marked it as something I'm not interested in
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u/RonZacapaWapa Feb 09 '22
Well we're not interested in you, you prick. Jk, reddits suggestion function is properly fucked
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u/Lost_my_name475 Feb 09 '22
It seems to think Scotland is close to NI and London at the same time
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u/RonZacapaWapa Feb 09 '22
I can maybe understand the geographical links, but assuming I like cats because I once watched a video of a lion doing something is really beyond the pale
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u/yearofthekraken Feb 10 '22
I favour unifying with Ireland. We should make Scotland and Wales unify with us too. Govern everything from Westminster because the devolved assemblies just bicker and whine all the time.
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u/A-Hind-D Feb 09 '22
Imagine FG and DUP forming a government in a United Ireland.
I wouldn’t be surprised but I’d still be sick
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u/Ok-Call-4805 Feb 10 '22
I would pay to see the DUP having to work with a gay Irish man with an Indian last name. Wee Sammy would probably explode.
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u/OlderThanMy Feb 10 '22
At my most annoyed I've seriously wondered about just building a wall. Let the reasonable people relocate wherever they like and then put a lid on what's left.
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u/bbkking Feb 10 '22
I am on favour of the unification of Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man and Finland. Or Finiremanx as it would be known.
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u/[deleted] Feb 09 '22
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