Sensible Solutions to Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is still a mess. There Are solid groups who see their identity as (respectively by number) British, Irish and "Northern Irish"and an ideal solution would respect the aspirations of all communities.

I would like to see shared sovereignty myself

pinguin wrote: Northern Ireland should return to Ireland.

GO  Away. We know in advance you opinion on everything.

Ditto Buckskins.

Windemere wrote: To me, it seems that shared sovereignty of Northern Ireland, by Britain and Ireland, is the current de facto political situation. Although Northern Ireland remains officially ( de jure ) part of the United Kingdom (Britain).

The republic certainly has influence but I don;t see it as sovereignty in any way.

I believe Northern Ireland should be returned to Ireland as a fair conclusion to the English domination of Ireland that lasted at the least four centuries (though we could expand the time frame). It is true that the Northern Ireland has its own identity however and I could possibly agree with a shared sovereignty solution to keep the peace.

fusong wrote: I believe Northern Ireland should be returned to Ireland as a fair conclusion to the English domination of Ireland that lasted at the least four centuries (though we could expand the time frame). It is true that the Northern Ireland has its own identity however and I could possibly agree with a shared sovereignty solution to keep the peace.

 This is not a territory dispute between Ireland and the UK, given the chance the UK would have handed the entirety over to the Irish Free state in 1922 and rid itself of the matter.

This is about real people and their often multiple affilliations and finding a solution that reflects everyone's needs. Just putting the area under Republic control gives the republic a vast new problem to deal with, the loyalist population who would restart violence to resist it.

How would you position solve anything?

I am both British and Irish. Both my parents are from the republic but I was born in the UK, in a suburb of London, but went to a Roman Catholic school where having an Irish surname was the norm and a good quarter of us had 2 Irish parents. I also worked for 2 years in Northern Ireland so I am pretty au fait with the situation.

I appreciate that lirelou's position that it is an Irish issue for them (us) to settle I have a real problem with people from aborad who haven't a clue on the issue  telling me what is going on. Whilst in the US I had people telling me that the British occupied all of Ireland and that Dublin had British soldiers patrolling the streets. I had slightly better educated people who knew that there was a republic of Ireland but couldn't beleive that most Irish people despise the IRA and that Sinn Fein is a small minority party in the ROI.

We are in the twenty first century when what matter is PEOPLE not jingoistic flag wavers and their immature demands that certain land implicitly belongs to certain peoples.

I would love to see a united Ireland.

Once the deed was done, I think the Protestant people living in the six counties would find that their lives would be unchanged.

Protestant and Catholics have lived side by side in harmony for many years in the Irish Republic.

The time is long overdue for old wounds to be healed and peace to prevail.

The Wolfe Tones said it perfectly:-

"We're on the one road
Sharing the one load
We're on the road to God knows where
We're on the one road
It may be the wrong road
But we're together now who cares
North men, South men, comrades all
Dublin, Belfast, Cork and Donegal
We're on the one road swinging along
Singing a soldier's song

Though we've had our troubles now and then
Now is the time to make them up again
Sure aren't we all Irish anyhow
Now is the time to step together now

(Chorus repeat)

Tinker, tailor, every mother's son
Butcher, baker shouldering his gun
Rich man, poor man, every man in line
All together just like Old Land Syne

(Chorus repeat)

Night is darkest just before the dawn
From dissention Ireland is reborn
Soon we'll all be United Irishmen
Make our land a Nation Once Again"

Kevinmeath wrote: "Little changed"? They may found a shock about the cost of their health care or the cost of their 'free' education. A great many may find themselves unemployed since the British State is a very large employer and I presume these jobs will go or will the Irish Republic now employ them?