Garrett: even Sinn Fein supporters wouldn't vote for unity

[Apparatchik]

Dr Garret Fitzgerald who was taoiseach at the time of the Anglo-Irish Agreement that first gave the Republic a say in Northern Ireland's affairs, says British subsidies have made Irish political union even more remote and that not even Sinn Fein suppporters would now vote for it..

Without the subsidies, he says, "Northern Ireland would be 20% worse off which means that even the most ardent Sinn Fein supporter would vote against it or, alternatively, we'd have to increase our burden of taxation by a quarter, which isn't going to happen."

[DOD]

The factors that Garrett speaks of, would matter to some 'in between types' but not committed republicans.

[Starkadder]

The question is, would they be prepared to put up with economic hardship (20% worse
off) for the sake of a UI ?

[Darren Mac an Phríora]

All Nationalists (if its possible to view it again) should see the interview between Martin Manseragh and Garret on the North that was broadcast a couple of years ago in the Fitzgerald at 80 series.

[Apparatchik]

The factors that Garrett speaks of, would matter to some 'in between types' but not committed republicans.

Decades of violence, resulting in massive subsidies from London and the failure by unionists in the Good Friday Agreement to negotiate a similar corporation tax rate as the Republic, and their unwillingness to have one industrial development body for the island, means the two parts of Ireland have grown further apart economically. And that, Garrett argues, makes Irish political union even more remote.

[Darren Mac an Phríora]

Dr Garret Fitzgerald who was taoiseach at the time of the Anglo-Irish Agreement that first gave the Republic a say in Northern Ireland's affairs

The Irish Government were always going to have a say re. the North. The agreement formalised it but the most important thing it did was that it brought in necessary equality legislation that Northern Nationalists (in particular) needed.

[lostexpectation]

then or now, surely a lot of the waste and drain on monies and the need for subsidies has reduced?

[KingKane]

Dr Garret Fitzgerald who was taoiseach at the time of the Anglo-Irish Agreement that first gave the Republic a say in Northern Ireland's affairs

The Irish Government were always going to have a say re. the North. The agreement formalised it but the most important thing it did was that it brought in necessary equality legislation that Northern Nationalists (in particular) needed.

What do you need "were always going to have a say re. the North."? Up until the Anglo-Irish agreement we had no say at all.

[Apparatchik]

then or now, surely a lot of the waste and drain on monies and the need for subsidies has reduced?

I doubt that, given the size of the public sector in the North.

[Darren Mac an Phríora]

Providing we had a decent relationship with the British Government we were always going to have a say on the North although we would not be in official consultation with them unless the AIA came into being.

The AIA was a transitional agreement on the way to eventual Irish unity. Anyone who thinks that it "solved" the issues in the North is extremely wrong.