For years people north and south have been misinformed about the economic benefits of Irish unity in the context of a new and agreed Ireland.
Opponents of Irish unity and misinformed commentators have said: ‘The south can’t afford the north’ and ‘Britain gives us £10bn a year in the subvention’.
Both of these myths are patently untrue. In fact, Sinn Féin has engaged directly with the British Office of National Statistics to unpack the public finances in the north.
In view of these figures (laid out in an annual publication called the Country and Regional Public Sector Finances), it is abundantly clear that no such £10bn subvention exists.
Currently the north is made to pay £1.1bn in contributions to the British military and £1.3bn to pay down Britain’s colossal national debt. It is also made to pay £679m in spending on British embassies and political activities overseas.
This is called ‘non-identifiable spending’. You will excuse the jargon, but these are spending decisions not made by your local representatives on local services, it is spending decided upon the British government on their own priorities and the north is then passed a bill based on its share of population.
Put simply, none of these costs would apply in the event of a united Ireland, instantly saving around £3bn.
On top of this, some £3.4bn is paid out each year in pensions in the north. This would also be the responsibility of the British government in a reunified Ireland, with workers in the north having paid tax and national insurance to the British exchequer all their lives.
These are the facts that should be used by commentators and politicians on either side of the economic debate about Ireland’s future.
And in the broader economic sphere, it is also clear where the future of the north must lie. We can either choose a post-Brexit Britain, which just narrowly avoided recession in 2019, or a young and dynamic Irish economy which has in recent years been among the fastest growing in the developed world.
For most people the choice is increasingly clear. It’s time for a more prosperous, new and agreed independent Ireland inside the EU.
PEARSE DOHERTY TD
Sinn Féin, Donegal
Attempt to rehabilitate the RUC should not pass unchallenged
William Matchett’s article – ‘Catholics who served in RUC abandoned by nationalism’ (November 18) – should only be good for a laugh and not worthy of comment.
However, I feel compelled to write for two reasons – the Matchett/Kilda Crawford McCann/Gerry Gregg attempt to rehabilitate the RUC should not pass unchallenged and I feel for your many readers who were unfortunate enough to suffer the sharp end of the RUC. How hurt some of them must have been at the outrageous statements that bad RUC cops were “few and far between” and that collusion was a “fake news story”.
Tim Pat Coogan has written that the RUC were never accepted by the Catholic population of the north the way An Garda Siochana were in the 26 counties. John Hume stated during the Civil Rights marches that he was shocked at the “hatred in the faces of the police” – many of whom were viciously batoning the peaceful marchers.
If these two men are too nationalistic for the above mentioned trio, how about the removing the blinkers and reading the report by Chris Patten – a British Tory? The British government was even forced to replace the RUC. Facts speak louder than words.
It is obviously impossible to know the experience of every Irish veteran of the British forces, but large numbers of them lived peaceful lives throughout the 32 counties after the world wars, although there were obviously political sensitivities.
It is nonsense to say Tom Crean was “shunned” – in the 1920s he returned to Annascaul, opened a highly successful pub there, thriving to this day and was very popular in the town. (His RIC brother was killed during the War of Independence.)
As an ardent (independent) republican I was deeply saddened by the callous killing of garda Jerry McCabe and have no time for the few eejits who vandalised his grave. I am sure many republicans feel the same.
JUDY PEDDLE
Charleville, Co Cork
Amnesty International’s actions are shameful
Amnesty International, while claiming to be defenders of human life and human rights, nevertheless, have given wholehearted support and welcome to the passing, by the powers that be, to abortion on October 21.
No doubt our unborn have been betrayed by the passing of this ruling their right to life overruled; totally disregarded, because abortion involves lives in the womb terminated as a matter of anyone’s choice.
Human life is sacred from conception until natural death. Therefore, a baby once conceived has an absolute right to life. And no-one has the right to choose to abort that baby. To deliberately destroy the rights of children at their most vulnerable and helpless stage of development is shameful beyond words.
So, downright shame on the powers that be, Amnesty International and all others, including most politicians, who have given support and welcome to the passing of this ruling on the unborn.
It all begs the questions – what then about the hippocratic oath, or is it no longer included in medical training? And what about ‘conscientious objection’, protection for doctors, nurses, or auxiliary staff who don’t want to be involved in abortions?
M HAYES
Belfast BT7
When you are in a hole stop digging
The Newsnight interview with Prince Andrew must have been the best hour of television for a long time. Emily Maitilis did a great job on the royal owing to the location which was not in the BBC studio but in the plush decor of Buckingham Palace. There is no doubt that Andrew came out of this episode looking like a boxer that was on the ropes on numerous occasions. He tried to distance himself from the criminal Jeffery Epstein but he should have remembered the old saying when you are in a hole to stop digging. But then again maybe he suffers from acute amnesia and the press should be sympathetic to him. He could not recall anything that went on in Epstein’s mansion in New York. There were dozen of teenage girls there but he mistook them for servants. This should have been a classic case for specsavers. He said the photo of him with Virginia Roberts was a fake but there is not a shred of evidence of this. It was a very convincing performance from start to finish from Andrew but don’t expect to see him in handcuffs any time soon.
TJ CARRAGHER
Cullyhanna, Co Armagh
