Views of Irish membership of the EU. Positive or negative?

Rebelheart

Just getting a raincheck on this. I'm passionately pro-EU, largely because I believe Ireland has been far too anglocentric in recent generations. For me, the EU breaks that up and instils a much healthier, open worldview in Irish society. I admire Scandinavian environmental policies, Swiss local government, French health policies, and so forth.

I sincerely believe that if Ireland were, as some correspondents in the British newspapers in Ireland are saying, to leave the EU it would be disastrous for Ireland. The thought of our country being at the mercy of Britain again is unconscionable to me, what I want from Ireland, and the sort of Ireland I want my children to live in.

Yet, still I see posters who are supposedly Irish nationalists, giving out about EU control in Ireland. Given that our native rulers have been incompetent, why are these posters using the EU as scapegoats? What is their alternative? Do they oppose the EU simply because they're reading British "Oirish" tabloids? Surely, they aren't that gullible?

Anyway, overall do you support Irish membership of the European Union, or oppose Irish membership of the EU?

Donkey Oaty

Rebelheart wrote: »

I sincerely believe that if Ireland were, as some correspondents in the British newspapers in Ireland are saying, to leave the EU it would be disastrous for Ireland. The thought of our country being at the mercy of Britain again is unconscionable to me, what I want from Ireland, and the sort of Ireland I want my children to live in.

Surely leaving the EU would mean fewer ties with Britain, not more?

Ghost Estate

Ireland's rightful place and future belongs with Britain, not the EU.

The EU makes too many new directives.

One set of muppets who are completely out of touch with reality telling us what we can't do is already more than enough

ejmaztec

Overall, EU membership is bad for Ireland and we should withdraw

Rebelheart wrote: »

Just getting a raincheck on this. I'm passionately pro-EU, largely because I believe Ireland has been far too anglocentric in recent generations. For me, the EU breaks that up and instils a much healthier, open worldview in Irish society. I admire Scandinavian environmental policies, Swiss local government, French health policies, and so forth.

I sincerely believe that if Ireland were, as some correspondents in the British newspapers in Ireland are saying, to leave the EU it would be disastrous for Ireland. The thought of our country being at the mercy of Britain again is unconscionable to me, what I want from Ireland, and the sort of Ireland I want my children to live in.

Yet, still I see posters who are supposedly Irish nationalists, giving out about EU control in Ireland. Given that our native rulers have been incompetent, why are these posters using the EU as scapegoats? What is their alternative? Do they oppose the EU simply because they're reading British "Oirish" tabloids? Surely, they aren't that gullible?

Anyway, overall do you support Irish membership of the European Union, or oppose Irish membership of the EU?

For Ireland, the EU's the only game in town, as it wouldn't stand a hope in hell's chance of making any progress without it,

The only downside from your point of view of course, is that the UK's in it as well.:P

Rebelheart

Overall, EU membership is bad for Ireland and we should withdraw

Donkey Oaty wrote: »

Surely leaving the EU would mean fewer ties with Britain, not more?

I would imagine not. As a small country, leaving the EU would enthusiastically be seen by the "British Isles" europhobic brigade as some pseudo-historical "reunion" of Ireland with Britain along an Anglo-American framework.

OhThePenguin

Overall, EU membership is bad for Ireland and we should withdraw

I'd welcome more involvement from the EU in Irish politics to be honest.

Our own politicians are clearly unable to run the country.

Rebelheart

Overall, EU membership is bad for Ireland and we should withdraw

ejmaztec wrote: »

The only downside from your point of view of course, is that the UK's in it as well.

Well, it's not really "in it", is it. It's more there, bitterly, on the sidelines wallowing in resentment at the fact that Germany is the greatest power in Europe and, after Germany, the French are the ones calling the shots in the EU.

squod

Overall, EU membership is bad for Ireland and we should withdraw

If Europe is going to prosper the muppets have to go.

ejmaztec

Overall, EU membership is bad for Ireland and we should withdraw

Rebelheart wrote: »

Well, it's not really "in it", is it. It's more there, bitterly, on the sidelines wallowing in resentment at the fact that Germany is the greatest power in Europe and, after Germany, the French are the ones calling the shots in the EU.

I think the UK only joined because the French didn't really want them to, and has spent the last 40 years moaning about being a member.

sdanseo

Overall, EU membership is bad for Ireland and we should withdraw

Last choice, wtf? Pmcmahon hope to god you're voting for the laugh of it

Donkey Oaty

Rebelheart wrote: »

I would imagine not. As a small country, leaving the EU would enthusiastically be seen by the "British Isles" europhobic brigade as some pseudo-historical "reunion" of Ireland with Britain along an Anglo-American framework.

I've never heard of these people and suspect that they exist only within the confines of your own head.

biko

Overall, EU membership is bad for Ireland and we should withdraw

For Ireland the EU has been a blessing in my opinion.

Max Power1

Overall, EU membership is bad for Ireland and we should withdraw

So long as they steer well clear of our low corporation tax rates I am pro EU.

galwayrush

Despite 90 years of gombeen politics and an iron fist like church involvement ,the EU dragged us into a more modern and better educated era.
Although the last few Governments in recent years are doing their best to try and bring us back into those bad old days, the EU will hopefully manage to stop them in their incompetent tracks and save us from ourselves.

tolosenc

Overall, EU membership is bad for Ireland and we should withdraw

Rebelheart wrote: »

"British Isles" europhobic brigade

I aknowledge the existence of the British Isles, much in the same way I do the Aran Islands, but I'm not europhobic. Where does this leave me?

dlofnep

Overall, EU membership is bad for Ireland and we should withdraw

The EU is overall positive, but there are a few catches. Our sovereignty is diluted as a result of our membership - That is undeniable. I think the European project as a whole is a positive thing. It is stable for the region.

Aswerty

Overall, EU membership is bad for Ireland and we should withdraw

Ireland has done very well by the EU and I don't think just because we've hit a dodgy patch that we should bale.

KINGVictor

Ireland's membership of the EU has both its positives and disadvantages ..I guess like most endeavours in life.

Ireland has benefitted immensely from the EU's structural funds arguably more than any other member state (per capita) , some of the progressive policies/directives from Brussels have also impacted positively on the country.

However, the major downside (for me) is the transfer of macroeconomic soveriegnty to the EU in the form of the ECB- as such The central bank of Ireland is just another office in the department of Finance with no real influence/ power to make country-specific policies i.e. Interest rates etc.

Like other posters have also mentioned, some of the directives from the EU are just convoluted and are not suitable holistically but are usually formulated and adopted by the Franco-German axis to suit their own agenda.

Specifically, inresponce to your question, I will "lazily" answer with another question especially in light of the current economic climate- What is the alternative?

Cheap Thrills!

Overall, EU membership is bad for Ireland and we should withdraw

positive! all hail the mighty Emperor Rehn !!!! :cool:


Death to the 2 Brians!!!!! :mad:

SEPT 23 1989

Put a gun to their heads

threaten to collapse the Euro by default on debt

TheSpecialOne

Overall, EU membership is bad for Ireland and we should withdraw

Positive considering they have given us billions to upgrade the country, but i hated the way Europe disregarded Lisbon 1 and Scared many people into voting yes (Btw i support Lisbon but they should have listened to the peoples vote and not just disregard it)

raymann

Rebelheart wrote: »

I would imagine not. As a small country, leaving the EU would enthusiastically be seen by the "British Isles" europhobic brigade as some pseudo-historical "reunion" of Ireland with Britain along an Anglo-American framework.

having lived most of my life in the uk i can tell you that this simply isnt the case. the vast vast majority want nothing at all to do with ireland on a political level.

your opposite numbers over in the uk are a dying species as well, just as the ultra hard line anything but british seem to be dwindling over in Ireland.

basically, people are moving on. as for the european question i would answer it without addressing your boring repetitive anti uk agenda, because if we do go it alone it will be just that. alone.

forget anybody coming to save us. they have their own problems and absolutely zero interest in ours.

kincsem

Overall, EU membership is bad for Ireland and we should withdraw

The country has modernised since we joined. Great infrastructure, single currency, hi-tech manufacturing. All this is because of the single European market imo.

However, Dail Eireann is still stuck in the ass and cart days.

raymann

kincsem wrote: »

The country has modernised since we joined. Great infrastructure, single currency, hi-tech manufacturing. All this is because of the single European market imo.

However, Dail Eireann is still stuck in the ass and cart days.

the thing that really galls me is we have blown a once in 100 years opportunity to create a singapore of europe. it really could have been something.

the few roads and very slight health and education upgrades dont seem nearly enough to show for the problems we are now saddled with.

PeterIanStaker

Overall, EU membership is bad for Ireland and we should withdraw

Membership of the EU is a good thing. Its gotten us out of the religious and social dark ages that some are desperate to drag us back to.

Rejoining England is an outdated idea, just like a UI is outdated. Besides, despite what some Myersian fantasists may think, they wouldnt want Ireland back, they're ploughing money into NI to keep it on life support as it is.

Coriolanus

Overall, EU membership is bad for Ireland and we should withdraw

Overall positive. I'm a bit of a federalist myself and think we could do with a bit more integration tbh.
Anyone who thinks Ireland can weather the fallow years to come without the EU is dreaming in cloud cuckoo land.

charlemont

Overall, EU membership is bad for Ireland and we should withdraw

raymann wrote: »

the thing that really galls me is we have blown a once in 100 years opportunity to create a singapore of europe. it really could have been something.

the few roads and very slight health and education upgrades dont seem nearly enough to show for the problems we are now saddled with.

Our people just continued on with the same shower of gombeen men, if it wasnt for the original EEC the country would still be very backward..

Theres a saying "people get the politicians they deserve" .

citizen_p

Overall, EU membership is bad for Ireland and we should withdraw

ireland has never really been a major player in the EU , main reason credited to the fact we are an Island nation, as is the Uk but they got heavily involved in european wars ehhhhh.. politics.
and of course at one time or another invaded half of the world.


anything that brings us closer to europe is good imo.

raymann

Nevore wrote: »

Overall positive. I'm a bit of a federalist myself and think we could do with a bit more integration tbh.
Anyone who thinks Ireland can weather the fallow years to come without the EU is dreaming in cloud cuckoo land.

the problem for me is the solution that would be best for the irish people is an orderly default. it wouldnt be without its problems, in fact it would be very very tough indeed, but at the end of it some level of competition could be restored to start to grow our way out of this.

the way we are currently planning on doing it has, i believe, never been done on this scale before.

to try and deflate your way out of such a huge overhang, both public and private, in the face of what i believe will be a global slow down in 2011-12 seems like a terrible burden for a people to face.

i live in france now, i was surprised at peoples reaction to our refusal to accept lisbon even a year later when i got here. do not think there will be any sentimentality towards the irish when they are addressing our corporation tax.

i think the rules changed for us in the 00's. someone said to me that 'we lost the run of ourselves'. it seems to me we are in big big trouble. our relationship with the uk, that is less troubled than it has been for generations, actually seems one of our strengths rather that a weakness.

ICE HOUSE

Ireland's rightful place and future belongs with Britain, not the EU.

Withdrawin is not an option now its far too late. Damage has been done long time ago. This day has been comming for years when people were going to really see the bigger picture of the issues involved with being part of Europe. Too late people !!!

Misanthrope

Ireland's rightful place and future belongs with Britain, not the EU.

We need to cut all apron strings and learn to stand on our own two feet as a nation.As it stands we are a de facto province,some would argue that we are a de jure province also.

How do the doomsayers explain the fortunes of Switzerland as a land-locked,mountainous country that stays out of the EU with no ill effect.It hasn't affected their trade one bit.How is it with their finance and banking industry, that they are not in economic ruin like us?

They must be doing something right.Why can't we model ourselves on prosperous independent nations instead of cowering under the wings of megalomaniacs?