Cost of a United Ireland and the GFA

You cling to the notion that the UK Government doesn't want Northern Ireland, without any real basis for that thought. However, even if you are correct, that doesn't mean that they will push a united Ireland if the time ever comes that they want rid of it, particularly the type of united Ireland that you espouse.

There is a song by Talking Heads that adequately describes your bandwagon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hL_ATXJ6JU

As your article says "The recorded support for Irish unity in the Northern Ireland survey was the lowest recorded in post-Brexit polling". At 27%, there is no pressure.

"There was a general sense, especially in the Northern Ireland groups, that continued devolution would be the best means by which a transition to a united Ireland could be facilitated in the short run, or by which the consent of unionists might be facilitated to something which they oppose"

Wow, in your article, there are people talking about one of the options I have put forward. In fact, look at this......it even admits that people are talking about it:

"Post-survey discussion has highlighted the less strong opposition and somewhat higher support for a 'devolved' rather than 'integrated' model of a united Ireland in Northern Ireland (details below). It has been argued that the Irish government should promote a devolved model to strengthen the potential of winning 'losers' consent'—particularly from unionists—should a united Ireland be decided in referendums."

Well, well, well.

The above is their reccomendation, that you have ignored, again to divert elsewhere.

You are talking about alternative solutions, we know this, so are some others, nobody has denied that. Why you think you have a gotcha here I don't know, maybe it is desperation?

What you were challenged to do is find enough people wanting your outcomes and somebody of substance, politically, looking for your alternatives...you have failed to do that, repeatedly.

You described them in post 1927 as the alternatives that nobody is looking for. Now you admit that people are talking about alternative solutions.

I must thank you though for finding the research that demonstrates that the focus groups in Northern Ireland are favouring one of the many ideas I put forward and that the academics are openly discussing it. You have answered your own question to me.

So maybe in future, you won't be so quick to dismiss ideas that others put forward.

You just posted the research that ordinary people in focus groups in Northern Ireland preferred the option of devolution within a united Ireland!!!!!!

That some of the academics and politicians don't want it and want to push the people towards a different solution is a little anti-democratic and going against the people's wishes, don't you think?

Usually when politicians and academics don't like what they are hearing from the people, they describe them as ill-informed. Turning up their noses at the people. That is an opinion, not by those who conducted the research, but by someone commenting on it.

All I am asking is that you civilly debate and discuss proposals and options for Northern Ireland.

Day after day the narrative moves away from a singular United Ireland towards the consideration of other constructs. As Slugger (who you have quoted on occasion) puts it only yesterday:

"A more enlightened constitutional view (like that of Micheál Martin’s Shared Island Initiative) would view the prospect of the forced integration of a ‘failed northern state’ into the south with the degree of outright scepticism it rightly deserves."

Pretty much crushing your ideas and as the demographer puts it:

"There has been demographic change. But the demographics on current trends are bringing neither an Irish Catholic majority nor, by extension, a united Ireland."

Next, and not to bang my own drum again, the demographer also says:

"and now what’s going to matter is identity, immigrant groups, all these things we’ve talked about."

Yup, it's that darned middle minority of Northern Irelanders identifying as Northern Irelanders messing up your dreams again. And finally, this bit:

"Without a theory of government, nationalism will remain lost."

In postulating various forms of federalism and con-federalism, I am doing nationalism a favour, putting forward ideas of government that may get a united Ireland over the line.

Why is Scotland allowed leave the union and not get gerrymandered into different jurisdictions within her of unionists majority but Ireland can't?

If Scotland is allowed leave the union as one sovereign independent state why cant Ireland? Why does Ireland need to be fedral and Scotland doesn't.

Same old same old. I’ve heard similar for decades. It’s just not happening.

Wise up francie. What happened the great new light ‘Irelands future’. Coming to a phone box near you!

So francie. If a majority of the people on ni said they want devolution in a Ui would you then accept that

Absolutely.

How’s devolution working at the minute?