General Irish politics discussion thread

That is a very good point.

If as some are claiming, there is a real danger of the UK using the Commonwealth against our interests, we would be much better joining it to prevent that from happening.

I don't see the problem joining the commonwealth if it makes our soon to be newly minted unionist citizens more comfortable

There is no oath of allegiance involved or diminution of sovereignty

It's just a friendship club at this stage

The previous British monarch has already been hosted here and I dare say as Prince of Wales,Charles has been here more often than most of the commonwealth countries

I actually think opposition to such a joining is both old fashioned and a relic of core Sinn Féin Republicanism that needs to be circumcised especially in the context of what I said above

This is the now typical 'everything is SF's fault' go-to refrain.

It was under a Fine Gael Taoiseach = John E Costello that we left the Commonwealth, SF were NOT a force in politics at the time - 1949.

At NO time have we ever hinted that we wanted to re-apply to join or was a proposal put to the Dáil.

Today, MLMD has said that she as leader of SF is willing to consider it as a gesture as are all the other main party leaders.

Are you afraid these male asylum seekers might go on a rampage?

No, not new at all. This is from 2018

If anything I would be afraid for them.

The bulk that would never vote to join aren't the ones that people think might be convinced though

It's the soft UUP or Alliance voting, bake sales after a lovely service in the COI chapel, I don't really like Charles but his mother was lovely wasn't she and so is Kate so she is, 5% that might drag a tight referendum over the line that this may have a tiny influence on.

Plus maybe damp down some of the problems they would come after

It'd also give a global scale sports tournament we'd be able to host and do well in some bits of :pac:

Ironically, the notion that joining the Commonwealth would be "a recognition of the British identity within Ireland" is itself based on a view of the Commonwealth that is as outdated as Francie's. Commonwealth membership isn't about acknowledging, claiming, recognising or doing anything else with respect to any British identity; most Commonwealth member states are very strong on affirming that that's not what it's about, and a move away from this idea is one of the reasons why the Commonwealth has survived at all.

Mind you, the NI unionist notion of British identity is a fairly old-fashioned one, and maybe we shouldn't be amazed that it includes an outdated view of the Commonwealth.

As for the "duality of thinking", I honestly don't see why this would puzzle you, given that different view are being expressed by different people. My view is that the Commonwealth is pointless but — for that reason — basically harmless, so if by some miracle joining were to be the key to a successful united Ireland, we should join. Others have the view that the Commonwealth is harmful, either because it fosters retrograde imperialist notions or because it will somehow be transmuted by the British government into a sinister tool of control against the wishes of its members. Since they don't think it's harmless, they oppose joining it.

A large fire has partially destroyed Ross Lake House in Galway which was due to take refugees.

This is unbelievable.

The government have created this mess. They now have at least 200 refugees on the streets with fears for their safety.

http://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2023/1217/1422444-galway-hotel-fire/

Putting asylum seekers onto the streets is the current government policy. That is their fault.

Many of us are looking for a party to vote for with the following policy's, feel free to add to this list.

Severely curtIling illegal immigration

fixing a broken health service

Fixing crime and punishment, including increasing Garda and prisons

Outlawing hi jab and burka in public

Removing all social housing from the city centre