From a New Ireland to a Data Ireland( response to Brian Feeny’s Irish News Column)
Firstly, let me say regarding Mr Feeney’s “Failing UK” article surprisingly, there were elements with which I agree. For example, the de-industrialisation of the UK and the embrace of funny finance. I agree that the UK has failed to invest in its future, and I also agree that the UK was diminished politically and economically the moment it voted to leave the EU.
Mr Feeney’s departure from talking about a New Ireland (yet to be articulated) to a Data Ireland is interesting, but not in the word’s traditional meaning. Brian briefly mentions the housing and healthcare crisis in the Republic. The housing crisis in Ireland is a sign of political failure, with average house prices €115,000 higher in the Republic which knocks an additional €700(£600) out of people’s monthly income and that is if you can find a property that you can afford to buy. Ireland had outpatient waiting lists in 2023 of over 700,000, here it was almost 400,000, grade D for both jurisdictions. As an aside, I thought I would mention the Irish government’s € 2.2 billion, yes billion, Children’s Hospital fiasco. This is RHI on steroids. Brian implies that simply creating a 32-county Ireland would provide the same standard of living and benefits currently available to citizens in the 26 counties. This is just fantasy economics. The point is that just because they are doing ok down there, adding a dysfunctional political and economic six counties to the mix does not mean that living standards up here will rise to the equivalent in the 26-county Republic. If you take into account the North’s poor productivity, the size of the public sector, fiscal transfers from the UK, a report by Fitzgerald of Trinity and Morgenroth of Dublin City University said, “Unification in the foreseeable future, however funded, would result in a substantial reduction in living standards for those living on the island of Ireland”.
The simple political reality is, that whether you believe in the Union or Irish unification, this place needs to be economically sustainable and politically stable. The question is whether or not our political representatives are up to the job. However, if I were asked to make a judgement call on the aforementioned question, the answer would be an emphatic, not. So, blaming the Brits for everything, banging on about border polls and the Windsor Framework by our political representatives and political commentariat is a waste of airtime and newsprint. I do not believe in the conspiracy of Unionist-dominated media, what is blindingly obvious is that it is always the same old voices saying the same thing. The need for new progressive insurgent voices across the media is vital. The BBC (Bland Broadcasting Corporation) Northern Ireland contributes to this yawning political reporting malaise. So, when BBC NI introduce retired senior ivory tower civil servants, as the “new progressive insurgent voices” therein lies the problem. Finally, I am a “Persuadable,” and honestly Brian, you are not doing a great job.
Suneil Sharma
21st February
The Gob 
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