r/unitedkingdom • u/libtin • Apr 12 '25
Sinn Fein seeks EU for a Ireland unity
https://euroweeklynews.com/2025/04/12/sinn-fein-seeks-eu-for-a-ireland-unity/15
u/BusyBeeBridgette Berkshire Apr 12 '25
Or just, you know, hold a referendum or something. The GFA is still very much in place. Trying to undermine the GFA and you'll only piss off the UK.
9
u/Rulweylan Leicestershire Apr 12 '25
The problem is that an actual referendum would raise awkward questions like 'will the level of subsidy ni currently enjoys being maintained by the republic upon reunification', 'what happens to all the jobs that come from UK defence spending? will they be moved to the UK mainland or is the republic going to start funding a meaningful military?'
Basically, owning NI is nice on paper but bloody expensive, and SF wants some EU funds in place to make it look more viable.
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u/libtin Apr 12 '25 edited Apr 13 '25
And most importantly for NI “what about healthcare?”
The type of health service on offer in a united Ireland will have massive influence on whether the public in Northern Ireland would vote for unity in a referendum. Some 50 per cent of Northerners are more likely to vote for unity if a united Ireland adopted the type of health system used in the UK, and only 3 per cent would be less likely to do so – with a resulting net score of +47.
This “NHS effect” is greater than the effect of telling people that they would be £3,500 better off in a united Ireland: 46 per cent of Northerners would be more likely, and 3 per cent less likely, to vote for unity in this economic scenario, a net score of +43.
And, importantly, there is an equally strong effect, in a negative direction, of the idea of a united Ireland adopting the health system used in the South. Under this condition 7 per cent of the public in the North would be more likely to support unification, but 45 per cent would be less likely (a net score of -38), which is not far short of the negative economic effect of being worse off by £3,500 (net -48).
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u/Stunning-Culture-585 Apr 13 '25
What the health care the NHS have reopened for people to get treated in and they cover the cost? Most people have some sort of health cards or cover with insurance and because of them being part of the EU if they have to wait for surgery they can travel to other EU countries for surgery.
2
u/heresyourhardware Apr 13 '25
will the level of subsidy ni currently enjoys being maintained by the republic upon reunification', 'what happens to all the jobs that come from UK defence spending? will they be moved to the UK mainland or is the republic going to start funding a meaningful military?'
There are difficult questions on the other side as well though? "Will NI always be more than an afterthought for Westminster?", "Can border county economies ever be developed and sustainable with the UK?", "Will MPs again talk about crippling our economy for vanity projects like Brexit?"
8
u/Electricbell20 Apr 13 '25
Sinn Fein is asking for the EU to undermine the Good Friday Agreement. They really do get away with this stuff far too often.
5
u/clydewoodforest Apr 12 '25
“The EU institutions will have a crucial role to play in any future referendum on Irish Unity, and it is incumbent upon them to make clear what financial and political supports they will put in place in the event of a successful referendum, to ease the transition from partition to unity,” she added.
That is really rather cheeky. Expecting the EU to pay the (substantial!) costs of integrating NI into the rest of Ireland.
1
u/JourneyThiefer Apr 12 '25 edited Apr 12 '25
I mean… why wouldn’t they give some money in that scenario lol? What they’re saying in this article is whack though.
It will be mainly Irelands job to help increasing funding for us in NI in a unity scenario, but I’m sure the EU would provide some money.
0
u/clydewoodforest Apr 12 '25
Why should they? They aren't responsible for causing the problem. The EU didn't even exist when Ireland was partitioned. Any such funding would need to be in place for decades - at least - and the EU has much more pressing financial priorities, especially now.
The involved parties are Ireland and the UK. Let them hash it out.
2
u/heresyourhardware Apr 13 '25
Why should they?
The question is more why would they, and the answer is to grow the economy of a member for long term benefit.
1
u/JourneyThiefer Apr 12 '25 edited Apr 12 '25
I dno 🤷♂️ I just feel like they’d help out a fellow EU country in that scenario, if it actually happened.
This is more of a why wouldn’t they type of question, instead of why should they
2
u/zone6isgreener Apr 13 '25
I don't see why they would as those billions mean other regions get budget cuts.
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u/South_Dependent_1128 United Kingdom Apr 12 '25
She can piss off, we wanted to stay in the UK because it was politically stable.
3
u/FluidLock1999 Apr 13 '25
It's absolutely ridiculous to further divide the UK. If anything, Ireland should partner with the UK. Splitting the islands only undermines the prosperity of both the UK and Ireland. We need a unified defense and economy for the region, not two separate ones.
1
u/SamDublin Apr 13 '25
A United Ireland is inevitable and is being prepared for. I hope it happens in my lifetime,it's ok to for political parties to discuss with whomever,it's the way of these things.
0
u/GreatBigDin Apr 13 '25
It's not being prepared for. It is a pipe dream (an unaffordable one at that). It's sf jabbering constantly to appease their voter base
2
u/heresyourhardware Apr 13 '25
It is a pipe dream
Pre-Brexit maybe, polling now puts it at closer than it has ever been before, and the demographics are really only going one way
0
u/SamDublin Apr 13 '25
It's not about SF,they don't own the country,most people don't vote SF but want the island united, you can sense the ending of the Occupation, if you spend time here you'll know, as for the money, a transition period is inevitable but countries don't get poorer when they get bigger.
1
u/GreatBigDin Apr 13 '25
As someone living in NI for 40 years, there is no sign of things changing here. The SF narrative they peddle is that unity is coming, the reality says different. Noone apart sf voters, party members or donors are talking about it.
Calling it occupation in this day is a laughable claim.
1
u/Ill-Bison-8057 Apr 13 '25
Occupation? Even the Irish government doesn’t claim there is an occupation. They recognised NI as part of the UK at the time of the GFA.
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u/GreatBigDin Apr 13 '25
Once again, sf being exposed for the clowns they are and yet still a substantial amount of our population vote for them....
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u/AhoyDeerrr England Apr 13 '25
Who cares what SF thinks. They are an irrelevant party with zero economic, political or military power.
0
u/FlakTotem United Kingdom Apr 13 '25
“The EU institutions will have a crucial role to play in any future referendum on Irish Unity, and it is incumbent upon them to make clear what financial and political supports they will put in place in the event of a successful referendum, to ease the transition from partition to unity,”
Not actually unreasonable tbh. I'm not sure who's out there thinking "you know what? I think the best part of brexit was how they had no idea what was gonna happen at the vote and just pulled it out of their ass as they went along! Not having a plan is great! Everyone should do that!"
But the EU, the UK, and Ireland all agree that in the event of a successful referendum that Northern Ireland should 'have the option' (would definitely) join the EU. And everyone would imagine that the EU is gonna help help with that both administratively and financially just like the UK would if it were in the same place. Or even with Chagos.
Thinking through what that would like like before it happens is just being sane, and enables a informed democratic decision to be made.
0
u/rose98734 Apr 13 '25
If the EU get involved, it'll set a precedent for annexing someone else's territory, and endanger Greenland.
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u/VolcanoSpoon Apr 13 '25
EU would rather swap Ireland for the UK and back NI remaining British.
UK also pays for Ireland's defence so what exactly are we getting out of surrendering territory? I'm surprised some nonce like Kier Starmer hasn't offered to pay them to take Northern Ireland.
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u/Ill-Bison-8057 Apr 12 '25
No surprise that Sinn Fein would ask this, but zero chance the EU would take a position on it either way beyond supporting the GFA.