A federal Ireland in 10 years?

[factual]

I live in Dublin and would be happy to separate from the rest of the country. Dublin taxes get spent in Dublin and not building roads down the west of ireland where about 10 people live per mile. Leave them live the peig sayers life if they want.

It could work the other way round as it would be possible to have the six counties in a fiscal autonomous state in the federation, that way it would not take resources from the south, as it would have to cover its own devolved expenses, while contributing via tax to our defence and diplomatic service costs , etc.

[Christel]

I don't know how similar your idea is to this, but consider what the results would be if the national government was abolished, and replaced instead by 26 micro-states and city-states.

A national government could still exist in a federal republic.

I often felt that regions and counties in Ireland lost out because of the national ideology. The concentration on the national has probably staunched regional identity, development and independance. Without the national/anti British ideology Ireland could probably have become a more diverse, interesting, composed and less pathetic country?

[forest]

aint going to happen

[Tiernanator]

Would a Federal Ireland in ten years time be an answer to our current problems? Ulster, all nine Counties in one confederation and the other 23 in another? Then a overall Council to oversee the entire Country

Why not just go for the Éire Nua style solution. I must say as a ulsterman I have always resented the division of my province as much as I have resented the division of our country. I think that a federalist, functionalist approach to unity is probably going to be the way forward. I would have preferred a socialist revolution but there you go. We can't have everything. To be honest I am not that worried about what form of governance the state has I just think that the Irish people in the six counties have a right to be seen and treated as a constituent part of the Irish nation. We have the right to the passport but can't vote for the president. As the president has little day to day effect on the running of ROI I do not understand the reticence of those who wish to deny us the right to vote for the president. We may not pay taxes in ROI but we do have to purchase our passports.

[liamfoley]

Not federal, but feral at the rate were going.

[HEAVENHELPUS]

Are FF/FG/LAB afraid of a debate on Irelands future?