Sinn Fein and how do they form a government dilemma

Read through this thread or any thread that mentions a United Ireland. As I said, I've no issue with those figures. @squonk will likely disagree as he thinks SF are a one issue party though. I think it highlights SFs appeal across a broad spectrum, which doesn't surprise me.

@Vexorg here's a good example of the kind of post you'll find. They claim they don't about a UI, which is being very generous. Ultimately all they care about is criticising SF and the topic of a UI provides plenty of ample opportunity for that. Even though their points are completely deluded.

None of this has stopped you banging the drum in supprt of BS though. Why do you think what he did is perfectly acceptable for someone in his position?

I disagree with Sinn Fein, never support them, never will. But your line at the end needs to be called out - universal free medicine is not a right wing view. That's nonsense. The idea of universal payments is problematic, I agree. But the solution is to tax the wealthy more, which is also something I believe SF want to do.

David Cullinane was on NT this morning saying there would also be savings in areas that FFG just allow money to be thrown at

You have a strange opinion of what a left winger is

Michael O'Leary pays a lot of tax due to his high income and under a SF govt he would probably wind up paying more tax on that income. His income would probably rise as more people would have the money to spend on his airlines so yeah if he is unlucky enough to get sick why not give him free prescription meds just like we should be doing for everybody else?

Those who can afford to pay are paying through higher taxes. They aren't paying at the point of sale is the only difference

Free at point of sale - paid for by higher taxes. That's what I'd go for. (I agree with the lack of water charges and property taxes though - we absolutely should have water taxes and proper property taxes).

The issue is that a lot of the left are also populist.

It’s a progressive system though,high earners pay more because the same percentage of their higher pay amounts to more money paid

Special rates of tax to penalise these people destroys incentive

We saw that with everybody,not just rich people in the 80’s and 90’s

Paying in cash,nixers and evading tax became the norm

The modern day equivalent for higher earners would be in a mobile international jobs environment,to not be taxed in Ireland

I do not approve of any policy that fosters either

Parties that do are in a tiny minority

The 'plan' has to come from the sitting government. Not a political party.

It's like they either don't realize, or don't care, how dodgy this all looks. Sending down an unnamed and probably unelected member from up north to sort out a matter already with the Gardai.

Could we expect similar if they were in Government? Maybe the IRA council could help out with the bank holiday road safety campaigns or maybe get the children's hospital back on track.

Exactly, if MOL pays more tax than you or me he absolutely should be getting the benefits that we get

It's the same argument for property and water charges. High earners already pay for the services through our already quite progressive income tax system

They have engaged with Unionists who are willing to engage. They cannot force engagement though.

In fairness to MLMD you need to take on board what she says, even if you disagree. It is not her job or wish to pre-empt what an Irish government plan (in their role as proposers of a UI - i.e. it will be the Irish government holding our part of a BP) might contain. There needs to be discussion among all stakeholders to decide that. SF are a stakeholder not 'the' stakeholder.

I think you can see some of SF's mature and smart (IMO) thinking re; Brexit. They stood back and allowed the 'government'(not just FG) to take the lead on Brexit.

Brexit was basically partition coming back ferociously and biting the British and to a lesser extent the Irish government in a way I reckon neither of them ever imagined.
Brexit's Irish dimension - the complications stemming from partition - almost upended the whole UK project and has done lasting damage to UK politics IMO. As long as partition remains the UK can never be sovereign, that's the bottom line.

For us here, it finally forced an Irish government to not stand idly by because Brexit represented a threat to the whole country and whatever gains we have made since Independence.

SF knew that from the off, they challenged Enda Kenny's government who were initially against special status/protocols for NI. By doing that they ensured that the fight against it had to be led by the government here and then stood back. Getting the people of NI to look to the Irish government to protect their interests was a master stroke IMO.