I support a united Ireland.
this post was submitted on 12 Apr 2025
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I'm Northern Irish.
This is a terrible idea. Northern Ireland is actually doing pretty well, and the standard and cost of living is lower than the Republic. The border is basically not there for British and Irish citizens. It's just a matter of currency change and speed limit change. The EU backing a United Ireland would cause already a lot more distrust in the EU by Unionists to the point of breaking Stormont again (Keep in mind how difficult it was for Stormont to be happy with the Brexit arrangements)
As a matter of fact, Northern Ireland is actually starting to grow. It now has an economically advantageous position that a United Ireland would destroy. It has mostly customs free access to the UK market, access to the EU single market, and now is one of the few places in the EU single market that can export to the USA with a lower tariff rate. All for the price of a what is essentially line on a map (you can't even tell exactly where it is IRL, the border isn't that strongly defined legally or geographically)
Sinn Féin are disliked by both the Irish and British governments. They are the political wing of what once was the Provisional Irish Republican Army, a terrorist organisation.
I know it doesn't curtail ideologically to either hardline side, but the current arrangement in place is good. I live in Northern Ireland and have lower living costs and more access to social services for free than someone would have in the Republic. In some cases, better than the mainland UK. We pay less for university education than England and also don't have charges for prescribed medicine or even water usage. Our police are well invested in and Belfast is now one of the safest cities in Europe if you don't get involved in paramilitary feuds or drug dealing. Life here is good, and a United Ireland would jeopardize that significantly.
Im from N.I also and a lot of what you say is respectfully a load of shit.Ours N.H.S is on its knees,the police are seriously underfunded and our local goverment in Stormount is perpetualy on the edge of collapse.Sinn fein are the largest party in the north and the third largest in the republic.The irish goverment dislikes them because they are their political rivals.Were you got the british goverment hates them i havent a clue.As for being the political wing of the I.R.A the ira laid down their arms 26 years ago,they dont exist anymore.
Ours N.H.S is on its knees
And how will a United Ireland fix that, exactly?
police are seriously underfunded
Per capita, the PSNI has more funding than the Gardai Síochána
Sinn Féin are the largest party in the North
Yes, because of constant Unionist Schism. They didn't gain any seats in the last election. Stormont has 90 MLAs. By party lines, 53 are against a United Ireland, 36 are in favour.
The two problems you listed won't be magically fixed by a United Ireland - if anything, they'd be made worse. So my point still stands. I wasn't painting NI as a haven above other European countries - just that a United Ireland is a bad idea and we're far better off under the current situation. People thought that Brexit would somehow magically fix the UK's problems. It just made them worse. United Ireland is the same thing, if not on a worse scale.
Were exactly was i arguing for a united Ireland.I merley pointed out how absolutly wrong you were in the majority of your statements.Cool strawman though.
what you say is respectfully a load of shit.
I was arguing against a UI. You told me what I said was a load of shit. I responded to it. It's kinda clear how I thought you were trying to argue for a UI with "but nhs bad actually" which I've heard a lot of people say when I argue that access to free healthcare is a good reason to stay in the UK
It has mostly customs free access to the UK market, access to the EU single market, and now is one of the few places in the EU single market that can export to the USA with a lower tariff rate.
This sounds like reasons why the EU should push for Northern Ireland to either be clearly British or clearly Irish. Having such a loophole is harmful to the entire single market. Also it sounds like some of the doing well of Northern Ireland is the result of getting such a special treatment to prevent a new wave of violence.
Obviously the best and easiest thing would be for the UK to rejoin EU.
The UK rejoining the EU doesn't sound like a bad idea honestly. I keep forgetting we're not in the EU
Thanks for this insight. Very helpful to understand the situation on the field.
Thanks for your reply, but even without any knowledge on the current state of affairs it feels wrong that one party asks the EU to pick their side. I mean it wouldn't necessarily has to be wrong if the EU gets involved with a 'dilemma' like this, but should be as neutral as possible at least at first and let the people as a whole make the decisions.
Totally unrelated but I feel the same about the EU's relation to the independence of Catalonia.
With all the shit going on in the world, sure, why not restart the troubles. 😬
Maybe they've been watching Star Trek.