An O Hara recommending O Hara's stout, eh. Bit like those family election lists you get out West, with the strong farmer, the estate agent, the builder and the pub owner all called Cullinan !
:) Only joking, Eamon.
Brian, Ian, forget about Guinness and Beamish.. the next time you are in Ireland (or a UK supermarket, or one of the Corcorans pubs in Paris) try O'Hara's Irish Stout (especially the 6% version). It's the real deal, and I'm not biased in any way!
Ha, I wondered when rugby would come into it, Eamon :)
I always like it when Andrew Trimble goes over the line, him being an Ulsterman and all. He's an example of why they have the two songs at Lansdowne Road internationals, he doesn't do Amhrán na bhFiann...
As for the EU membership issue, that would indeed come to the fore if the Kippers got their way. I do agree that most people in the Republic are not preoccupied with the Black North :)
Oh and allow me to echo Brian's "hear hear" on your first post.
Eamon, aye I'm guid fer that. We'd hae France, the Ozzies, Kiwis, Springboks and a' at oor mercy tae!
I dont think the corporation tax regime is going to be a magic bullet Ian. There are many other factors (ironically, EU membershio being one of them). And the IDA in the Republic are recognised as being worldclass at attracting foreign iinvestment, so the compeitition will be tough.
As for the majority/minority, this is a transient thing but most people in the Republic are not preoccupied with this discussion. If it happens it happens. Perhaps a more comfortable alignment would be Wales, Ireland, N. Ireland and Scotland - the United 'Celtic' Kingdom... England would never win a rugby match again:)
Beamish is much the best tipple in the stout department, Brian. I spent many years in West Cork before coming over here. Women's and children's issues are still causing problems in the Republic though.
As both become increasingly secular perhaps. I think the Republic is less offensive an option than some people make out, Eamon is right economically for one thing. I have spent a fair bit of time in Cork when my sister lived just near and also just (fortuitously) happen to know one of the prominent Protestant families, namely the Beamishes (I gave up Guinness happily) and slowly found out that Cork is a 'Protestant' city. At least there are plenty of them. And dere was me tinking Oirland was a deputment of de Vatican an all dat! Coexistence is imaginable. However they seem to favour trying it alone...
I have no doubt you're right on the info score, Eamon ; however there's a feeling that with the new corporation tax in NI, among other things, will attract new business. A curious thing, I've seen that most of the teams installing the new water meters in the Republic for the Irish Water quango are hired in NI !
I would doubt there'd be a majority for being part of the Republic though ; "many", quite possibly.
Many people in NI would see good economic and social reasons for being part of the Republic Ian: GDP per capita is considerably higher in the Republic than it is in the UK, the social security system is at least as good and culturally many people in NI feel closer to the Republic than the rest of the UK. Seem reasonable to me.
Indeed, Brian. Neither fish nor fowl. A lot of discussion daily on the online newspaper TheJournal.ie on these issues. I personally can't see why anyone reasonable in NI would want to join with the Republic, for several reasons, mostly social or economic. That's not to say that there aren't unreasonable people there :)
Did you see readers' comments that often said the same. The Indy gave it short shrift and the Telegraph gave the equivalent of a snort down its nose. Pure rhetoric. What he was trying to do was impress Westminster MPs that he can shout at Brussels and demand change when what he wants is already there. Then all he needs to do is change the UK rules and it would look like a UK 'victory' in which he set the 'new' rules, no matter how long they already existed. If that is not the case and he genuinely did not know one can draw two conclusions: 1. His entire team of advisers and he are unfit for their job, 2. By not knowing he only shows gross incompetence for his position and simply should not be there.
Unfortunately, there appear to be no UK politicians up to the job. I am soooooooo very, very glad I have burned my boats.
Well said Eamon. Good on you!
Ian, the peculiar thing about his bit of the UK is that two key polls were under reported. The first said that they would be more interested in independence in the long run than joining the Republic and that in the long term they do not see themselves remaining in the UK. The other poll gave an over 60% support for the EU and where actual opinions were recorded it was said many times that without the EU they would feel even more isolated in the UK. So, very interesting perspectives. Neither fish nor fowl, one might say.
I spent 13 years working in Brussels, for the EU, and during all of this time the UK was constantly threatening to leave. Most people in Brussels are really fed up of it at this stage and many would now prefer to see the UK follow-through on this threat. The EU is a project, constantly in development, constatly being revinvented by its members, acting together and making decisions according to collectively agreed protocols. If one of those members is forever threatening to leave unless it gets speacial treatment then really they dont belong there.
Of course the EU is not perfect. It has many problems and must find compromise solutions between different countries and cultures. But in the main, it works: it keeps the peace, Europe is the most prosperous of all the continents, and the most advanced in many areas. The EU is also establishing a new model of governance that is now being copied in other parts of the world.
I think the UK will probably leave, but I think it will be a mistake. It will become increasingly isolated, have less influence internationally and suffer economically and socially. It will probably also speed up the fragmentation of the UK, as Scotland, Wales and Northen Ireland are generally more pro-Europe.
I'm sure English people will still be able to move to and live in France, but access to healthcare and other services will likely become more complex. A bigger problem, however, in my view, will be a loss of goodwilll, something that perhaps UK citizens in France or other parts of Europe cannot afford to lose, no more than any other expats.
I shouldn't worry Debra, he's from the UK alright ; Northern Ireland. He says he is, and is "Irish", but his part of the UK will be as affected as the rest...
Your Oxford! Bear in mind there is a difference and since I went to the other place, the sc is what I use.
Shaun, I think people are very badly informed. If there is a referendum that would be in three years. If the people decide the UK should leave then the game is not over. Firstly, internally they have Northern Ireland and Scotland with a preference for being in the EU to contend with. Just last week at their Oban conference SNP have made it clear that whatever the outcome of the referendum on independence, the majority of Scots are pro-EU. Polls have shown that clearly. However, reliable polls have shown that around 60% of people, younger ones who value mobility particularly, throughout the UK would vote to stay in. The ones who want out are shouting the odds right now. They are vocal, they are heard but a silent majority may well decide. Anyway, after a referendum to leave there would be the period of negotiation on leaving. Just to leave like a snap of fingers would mean leaving an awful lot of money and unfinished business behind. During the transition it is almost certain US banks would stay true to their word and head for Frankfurt. They are banking on the TTIP being agreed. The negotiations will take some time but would imaginably finish during that transition period. The USA has to climb down on some of its demands, then it will be home and dry. It would isolate the UK, the banks would go. They would be followed by other finance and industry. However, with a giant such as EDF the biggest power provider in the UK and running all nuclear stations, that bill would go up to compensate for the part the EU gives them to be there. I suspect too many people know too much about these things (and very much more) to allow the UK to leave. Anyway, negotiations would be something like seven years before the UK would be properly out. That is a decade from now.
As for CAP, well that is a UK media version that is trumpeted around rather too often. Take a real look at it. Yes, the UK makes a vast payment into CAP. The rebate and subsidies knock the bulk of that back off and at the end of the day the differences are nothing like as immense as the anti-European media make out. There are several comparable tales told frequently.
Personally, I do not think it will happen. There is a lot of noise and bravado, but that will fade away. I imagine kippers and any other smoked fish around will lose their flavour and popularity and become compost like all other waste organic material.
It's quite clear that little long term thinking is being done- I've never seen so many knee jerkers at work!
The most recent polls showed FN with a real minority support but PS little better and the 'centre' right with a vast majority for them. That is far more realistic.
do you have a link to the facebook group ?