It is not a sensible idea for the New Ireland to accept the remnants of the Unionist conflict that has blighted NI since its inception, the GB Government should offer to repatriate all of its citizens who do not wish to live in the 32 County Ireland, as they have done in many other jurisdictions, where they have ceded authorithy, to the local people. Nor is there a need for two jurisdictions in Ireland, it will hinder the progress to a new Ireland and the island will function must better as an integrated solution, just like the Irish Rugby team. Irish experts have examinied the financial subsidies from Britain to NI and they are NOT regarded as a problem, as most of them fall away. Being properly in the EU together will also be a big benefit. Ultimately there is a strong case to be made that the Northern Ireland is a failed state, dependent on subsidies, and a merger with the South will undoubtedly release its full potential. That is why it is important that there should be no drag of history on its future development.
Isn't it the case that there has been significant emigration of the unionist-protestant population for a long time, for a variety of reasons, including to escape the conflict and the conservative social order? I haven't seen the new film Belfast yet, but understand it deals exactly with this. But 'repatriating' people who were born in Northern Ireland is not a feasible or humane solution in 2022 and is the kind of thing that dictatorships do and would be no more acceptable than 'repatriating' descendants of Commonwealth migrants in England. The solution is already mostly there in GFA: unionists will be able to retain their British passports if they wish, and thus move to Britain if they want, but I suspect the overwhelming majority will stay, because it is their home too. Your metaphor of the Irish Rugby team is perfect. Both communities can play together and be very strong for it too.
You make a good point Tom, but some and only some of the Unionist minority see themselves a little Englanders forever and have been fighting at least since the GFA to remain so. They will be out of kilter in a new Ireland and my suggestion is that the UK Government accomodate them, by repatriating them back to England. It is not forcible repatriation as you suggest but merely to accommodate their wishes. And to ensure a potentially troublesome minority in the future are returned to the motherland. The sensible Unionists and unalligned are starting to engage in the discussions on a new Ireland, such as "Future Ireland", now, so that by the time of the referendums North and South, they will know the clear outline of the New Ireland, in which they will choose to live. Nobody in Ireland, wants to repeats the outragous and damaging Brexit referendum, where people voted for an undefined outcome, which turned out to be far worse than anybody expected.
"The billions in financial subsidies" is probably a chimera. The border has distorted all-island trade and turned Northern Ireland from its most prosperous part to an economic millstone, in a century. Far too much of its trade is with GB, in contrast to the export powerhouse further south. Dublin and Belfast should be twin cities like Amsterdam/Rotterdam; the artificial border, installed for purely sectarian reasons, distorted that. Even now, unionism rails against the explosion in trade with the south and the EU that the Protocol entails. They'd rather be Loyal and poor. Luckily, they're a dwindling minority. Philip, you ignored the middle 20% here, people neither unionist nor nationalist, just rationalist. The middle 20% look at Brexit Britain, Johnson and the DUP, and, suddenly, unity looks attractive.
It is not a sensible idea for the New Ireland to accept the remnants of the Unionist conflict that has blighted NI since its inception, the GB Government should offer to repatriate all of its citizens who do not wish to live in the 32 County Ireland, as they have done in many other jurisdictions, where they have ceded authorithy, to the local people. Nor is there a need for two jurisdictions in Ireland, it will hinder the progress to a new Ireland and the island will function must better as an integrated solution, just like the Irish Rugby team. Irish experts have examinied the financial subsidies from Britain to NI and they are NOT regarded as a problem, as most of them fall away. Being properly in the EU together will also be a big benefit. Ultimately there is a strong case to be made that the Northern Ireland is a failed state, dependent on subsidies, and a merger with the South will undoubtedly release its full potential. That is why it is important that there should be no drag of history on its future development.
Isn't it the case that there has been significant emigration of the unionist-protestant population for a long time, for a variety of reasons, including to escape the conflict and the conservative social order? I haven't seen the new film Belfast yet, but understand it deals exactly with this. But 'repatriating' people who were born in Northern Ireland is not a feasible or humane solution in 2022 and is the kind of thing that dictatorships do and would be no more acceptable than 'repatriating' descendants of Commonwealth migrants in England. The solution is already mostly there in GFA: unionists will be able to retain their British passports if they wish, and thus move to Britain if they want, but I suspect the overwhelming majority will stay, because it is their home too. Your metaphor of the Irish Rugby team is perfect. Both communities can play together and be very strong for it too.
You make a good point Tom, but some and only some of the Unionist minority see themselves a little Englanders forever and have been fighting at least since the GFA to remain so. They will be out of kilter in a new Ireland and my suggestion is that the UK Government accomodate them, by repatriating them back to England. It is not forcible repatriation as you suggest but merely to accommodate their wishes. And to ensure a potentially troublesome minority in the future are returned to the motherland. The sensible Unionists and unalligned are starting to engage in the discussions on a new Ireland, such as "Future Ireland", now, so that by the time of the referendums North and South, they will know the clear outline of the New Ireland, in which they will choose to live. Nobody in Ireland, wants to repeats the outragous and damaging Brexit referendum, where people voted for an undefined outcome, which turned out to be far worse than anybody expected.
"The billions in financial subsidies" is probably a chimera. The border has distorted all-island trade and turned Northern Ireland from its most prosperous part to an economic millstone, in a century. Far too much of its trade is with GB, in contrast to the export powerhouse further south. Dublin and Belfast should be twin cities like Amsterdam/Rotterdam; the artificial border, installed for purely sectarian reasons, distorted that. Even now, unionism rails against the explosion in trade with the south and the EU that the Protocol entails. They'd rather be Loyal and poor. Luckily, they're a dwindling minority. Philip, you ignored the middle 20% here, people neither unionist nor nationalist, just rationalist. The middle 20% look at Brexit Britain, Johnson and the DUP, and, suddenly, unity looks attractive.