How long until Ireland is united?

Soldato
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Wales I can't see going, do they have a strong enough economy for indy?

If Ireland finally unites we will have the troubles all over again, but this time it's up to Ireland and the EU to sort out, would the rep actually want unification and all the agro and problems?
 
Caporegime
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Can't see it for Wales without massive changes in opinions. From memory polling doesn't even reach 25% of the Welsh population supporting independence. Where I live there's huge numbers of people commuting in and out of North Wales for work, shopping and leisure - any kind of border checks would be intolerable.

Have to say living in Wales for 2 years but not being Welsh I'd love for Wales to be able to be independent.

But I believe it gets far far more from England than Scotland and what it gives. And loads of people work in England especially Bristol.

It would be awesome. But I think it would be a disaster.


I'm a bit more engaged with Welsh politics than UK. Just seems a bit closer to home.



The Irish border is a massive headache. Just unite it. If those. People in NI love uk so much (weird I know) just move over.
Also NI is more trouble than it's worth.
 
Soldato
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Ireland will not be united as a majority catholic country while you have the enclave of largely Ulster Scots who object to becoming part of Ireland. They see Ireland rightly or wrongly as a small country compared to the UK. it may not be so bad if they were spread throughout the whole country but concentrated in the north over six counties.
It may happen but there will be a lot of grief getting there.
 
Associate
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Bringing the six counties as is into the Republic as it is would just lead to trouble unless handled very well.
A forced united Ireland is not any better than forcing the counties which had majority nationalists back in the 1920s but whose opinion was denied because a 3.5 counties Northern Ireland wouldn't have been viable.
  • From 1921 onwards, a sizeable minority were not happy to not being a part of RoI.
  • From 20XX onwards, a different sizeable minority were not happy to not being a part of the UK.
Neither is a solutions. Compromise and consensus are what is needed, not a wait until there are 50% + 1 votes for united and alienate 49%.
If an united Ireland comes, I think the Republic should become federal or confederal.
Ireland is a reasonable modern country with a written constitution and STV long used to coalitions so I don't think that would be too much of a problem, but southern politicians would have to seriously talk to unionist and loyalists communities and I think the negotiations would be as hard as negotiating the GFA was.
 
Associate
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The Irish border is a massive headache. Just unite it. If those. People in NI love uk so much (weird I know) just move over.

Would you say that to Republicans living in NI? Just move down south and you are sorted? Not a practical response


Also NI is more trouble than it's worth.

Right off a whole section of society as worthless?
 
Caporegime
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Would you say that to Republicans living in NI? Just move down south and you are sorted? Not a practical response




Right off a whole section of society as worthless?

Did I say they are worthless?
Ireland isn't a third world country. Its not like you're sending a load of people to the ghetto!
I'd love to move to Scotland if it becomes independent.

There are no easy answers to this.
 
Capodecina
Soldato
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Can't see it for Wales without massive changes in opinions. From memory polling doesn't even reach 25% of the Welsh population supporting independence. Where I live there's huge numbers of people commuting in and out of North Wales for work, shopping and leisure - any kind of border checks would be intolerable.
But there would be no border checks - just like in Northern Ireland ;)

I'd go if someone offered me 100k!
I'd probably go to a lot of places!
I'm sure that you will soon hear from the Nigerian Minister of the Interior then :D
 
Soldato
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I've never understood why political parties in the north and south don't stand in each others elections. That way if they became the main party of both north and south it would be difficult to deny some form of unification referendum. Though with the Republic being in the EU it complicates things as they don't have full autonomy.
 
Soldato
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I've never understood why political parties in the north and south don't stand in each others elections. That way if they became the main party of both north and south it would be difficult to deny some form of unification referendum. Though with the Republic being in the EU it complicates things as they don't have full autonomy.
Sinn Fein is the same party north and south however I don't see a unionist vote south of the border. Similarly neither Conservative or Labour would have an impact standing in Ulster.
 
Soldato
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I've never understood why political parties in the north and south don't stand in each others elections. That way if they became the main party of both north and south it would be difficult to deny some form of unification referendum. Though with the Republic being in the EU it complicates things as they don't have full autonomy.

Same track of land, but two different countries - Your analogy is like asking SNP to stand in English elections.

I can honestly see things veering towards civil war if there is a united ireland, regardless of a valid passed legal vote, to unify.

If there was to be a united ireland again, there would have to be massive changes :

New national flag
New constitution
Funding for a new "NHS" type health service (not many in the north wants to pay £50+ just to see a doctor, never mind a perscription or a hostital visit)
 
Soldato
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Same track of land, but two different countries - Your analogy is like asking SNP to stand in English elections.

I can honestly see things veering towards civil war if there is a united ireland, regardless of a valid passed legal vote, to unify.

If there was to be a united ireland again, there would have to be massive changes :

New national flag
New constitution
Funding for a new "NHS" type health service (not many in the north wants to pay £50+ just to see a doctor, never mind a perscription or a hostital visit)

I think you're right. Culturally the two countries are very different these days.

I don't really see a United Ireland happening any time soon while the Republic is in the EU.
 
Caporegime
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I'd go if someone offered me 100k!
I'd probably go to a lot of places!

Some people have careers and friends though so a one off 100k really isn't that big of an incentive

Italy will give you a 4% income tax rate for 10 years if you move to sardinia and buy a house.

That island is paradise too
 
Caporegime
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It would connect to Scotland, and Scotland could then vote for independence and re-join the EU....


What we do is buy every ferry we can get and rope them together from Anglesea, drive in the back of one out the front and so on all the way to Ireland. Could even unteather one end and have a big bendy bridge to all sorts of places!
 
Soldato
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Can't see it for Wales without massive changes in opinions. From memory polling doesn't even reach 25% of the Welsh population supporting independence. Where I live there's huge numbers of people commuting in and out of North Wales for work, shopping and leisure - any kind of border checks would be intolerable.

It's gone up in recent years

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainers/welsh-independence
Between one quarter and one third

https://nation.cymru/news/poll-shows-highest-support-for-welsh-independence-ever-recorded/
This poll had it at 39%
 
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