EU - Better off in or out? (oil, health)

[Jaggy001]

Originally Posted by ben86

I'm not bothered by the Common Travel Area because there's always bound to be close ties between us and Ireland and they're not that foreign to us relatively speaking, but we've definitely got to get rid of the ridiculous anachronism which will allow Irish people living in Britain and certain other foreign nationals to vote on the referendum tomorrow. I've never really cared about that before when it comes to general elections but there's an obvious conflict of interest here.

I was quite offended by the Taoiseach telling Irish citizens in the UK and those of Irish descent how they should vote. I think that is wholly inappropriate behaviour by the leader of a foreign country and the more so as Irish citizens resident in the UK have the privilege of being able to vote. No matter which way the vote goes, there should be consequences for that.

[Giveandtake]

Question 1:
Why are English people happy to subsidize Scotland/Wales/produce foreign aid but cannot handle subsidizing Northern
Ireland? What is it about the 'Irish' that your people do not like? What has the present generation of Irish people done to England to warrant such resentment?

Question 2:
A few posters keep discussing the hassle that Northern Ireland causes and how they would love to be rid Northern Ireland. Don't you realise that England directly caused the problems that Ireland is facing by introducing colonists/creating a colony in the past?

There seems to be a problem in England of your people acknowledging and accepting the problems that your government has contributed to in the past. There also seems to be somewhat of a disconnect with English people in regards to the current situation in Northern Ireland (and actually from experience - other regions of Britain).

I think it is time for all sides to sit down and come to some sort of a resolution. Ignoring the problem is not helping.

[MItoBH]

Good luck with the vote tomorrow. I'm American and I will be visiting London this Friday and then off to Paris for a few days. Whichever way the vote turns out, I just wish England the best, I truly do.

With that said, I hope y'all vote LEAVE, but... you will vote what you feel is best for you in your country.

[CBMD]

On the issue of UK bailout of Ireland.......it didn't amount to a whole hill of beans.

Ireland and UK conduct about $1.2B a week, so UK loan represents less than 30 days trade.

The Loans to Ireland Act 2010 (c. 41) is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act allows HM Treasury to loan up to £3,250 million (£3.25 billion; €3,835 million/€3.84 billion)[n 1] to Ireland, as part of an €85 billion European Union bailout package. The final disbursement of the loan was made on 26 September 2013.[1] The final repayment by Ireland is due on 26 March 2021.[2]

IRELAND HAS PAID the British government over £67 million in interest eight tranches on money received as part of the bailout.
Ireland began paying the interest on the £3.2 billion loans in December 2011, having received the funding as a bilateral loan in 2010.
The latest report by HM Treasury shows that Ireland was two days late with two payments – but only because the repayment dates fell on Saturdays.

How much has Ireland paid Britain in interest on bailout loans?

The US loaned the UK $3.75B in 1946. In 2006, UK made its final war loan repayment to the US, six years late. I wouldn't gloat too much over Ireland.

[Devon011]

Originally Posted by Giveandtake

Question:
Why are English people happy to subsidize Scotland/Wales/providing foreign aid but cannot handle subsidizing Northern
Ireland? What is it about the 'Irish' that your people do not like? (Ok, I can understand where English people are coming from and honestly I would feel the same way, I just feel that it is hypocritical to be happy to subsidize one country and not another).

Speaking as someone who is both British and Irish, I have asked a similiar question to both strangers and friends and never got a straight answer.

Question 2:
A few posters keep discussing the hassle that Northern Ireland causes and how they would love to be rid Northern Ireland. Don't you realise that England directly caused the problems that Ireland is facing by introducing colonists/creating a colony in the past? Why do English people in general ignore the problems that their government has caused in other countries throughout the world?

There seems to be a problem in England of your people acknowledging and accepting the problems that your government has contributed to in the past. There also seems to be somewhat of a disconnect with English people in regards to the current situation in Northern Ireland.

Don't you realise that British broadcasting agencies rarely say anything positive about Northern Ireland?

I think it is time for all sides to sit down and come to some sort of a resolution.

Sad but true, I see such things everyday.

[Giveandtake]

Originally Posted by IrishReaper

Speaking as someone who is both British and Irish, I have asked a similiar question to both strangers and friends and never got a straight answer.

Sad but true, I see such things everyday.

Unfortunately I still think that many English people look down on Ireland/Irish population or see Ireland as a hindrance.

As a people they do not want to recognise the problems that have been caused in the past which is not helping.

Whether the UK stays as a country or not is up to debate, personally I do see the country eventually splitting up - I don't think that cutting all ties/links with Ireland as some suggested is a good idea.

Ireland is your nearest neighbor, it would be stupid to throw the links that you have away. Irrespective of any current resentment. Maybe the English should try and give the Irish a chance to develop/grow instead of constantly going on a rant about past events.

Ireland as a whole has not had a chance to develop to it's full potential and you are not letting Ireland develop by constantly going on about the past and being negative.

[jman0war]

Originally Posted by CBMD

The US loaned the UK $3.75B in 1946. In 2006, UK made its final war loan repayment to the US, six years late. I wouldn't gloat too much over Ireland.

That's the big difference between the British and Irish.
The British have too short a memory, while the Irish remember for too long.

[CBMD]

Originally Posted by jman0war

That's the big difference between the British and Irish.
The British have too short a memory, while the Irish remember for too long.

2006 is not all that long ago, when compared to the Irish bailout, or especially to when the UK joined the EU.

[Tim Randal Walker]

Originally Posted by Ottawa2011

Free trade between Canada and the UK? Hasn't even been pitched to us, never mind negotiated or signed.

The UK would be more isolated after Brexit than I think the citizens of the UK realize.
.

Besides trying to get a trade deal with the USA, I expect that that the UK would seek renewed ties with Commonwealth countries, such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand.....

[Tim Randal Walker]

Originally Posted by danielj72

. Britain, North America (both US and Canada) and then add Australia and New Zealand. It is obvious though to see the potential benefits of such an arrangement, if it came to exist no doubt it would be the greatest economic power on earth. . I wonder if the UK citizenry would feel more comfortable in this type of arrangement with its former colonies rather than the European nations? ??

.

The economy of such a grouping would be very powerful.

It occurred to me that this grouping could be an alternative for Ireland. A country which has likely not reached its potential (hinted at by the Celtic Tiger economy), and probably won't inside the EU.