Farming and the Economy

[An Fear Dubh]

It is funny how easily Unionists accepted the decision by the Sinn Féin minister to close the ports to UK livestock and dairy. Thus cutting ties with the UK on an agricultural and economic trade front. And I can not recall one 'bleat' about it!

I think Ms Gildernew proved herself a very able minister in how she handled the issues.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6941680.stm
And Mr McHugh (whoever he is, suspect typo Hugh McReynolds MD of Grampian Food?) said, "This development again underlines the need for our produce to be recognised as Irish produce and marketed as such." (see link below).
u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=84044&pt=n

While Mr Sharkey of the Ulster Farmers Union has said; “The Union has been working with DARD (Dept of Agriculture and Rural Development) and the industry to help develop suitable export certificates which clearly differentiate NI product from that from Great Britain. This should help reassure EU Member States and other countries that Northern Ireland products are safe to purchase. With the EU Standing Committee meeting again on the 23rd August, we will be pressing for early resumption of normal trading conditions from Northern Ireland.”

And Ulster Farmers get their way and a distinction is made between NI and the UK.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/article2849493.ece

And everyone is happy as we begin to break the economic ties with the UK and there are no desenting voices.

[He_Who_Walks_in_The_Wilderness]

hardly breaking of economic ties, northern ireland was set up as a sepperate region from the rest of uk from its birth thats why we had our own parliment until 1970. During that time we had pretty much direct control of everything in NI. It seems sensible that since NI does not share a land border with the rest of the UK that we take steps to prevent the spread of foot and mouth to this part of the UK. Moreover the are looking that its made clear to the rest of the world that the ban is not a UK ban but a ban on meat in great britian by seperate regional status ie making it clear that our beef is northern irish beef and not great british beef, no doubt the roi will continue to export its beef in its own way sepperate from all parts of the UK

[An Fear Dubh]

Mmmm maybe sensible steps to stop the spread of FMD but what about the possibility of something coming north from the south? There should be some plans laid in the event of an out break in the south. As we have been alerted to the possibility by the out break in Surrey, it is reasonable to believe it could happen in the south also. No unionist of otherwise is raising this possibility. Why? Everyone seems happy to be labeled seperate from the UK. Maybe it is just basic economic survival instincts blooming but the 'unionist' business people have shown their loyality is open to the highest bidder.

[He_Who_Walks_in_The_Wilderness]

if an outbreak happened in the south you can bet measures will be takern to prevent the movement of cattle into northern ireland and vice versa should an outbreak happen in northern ireland

[Blue Angel]

last time there was an outbreak i remember some cattle wandered across the border and the irish army was ordered to round them up and then bizarrely told to machine gun them (i don't know why someone could not have got a vet and just had them put to sleep...)

[Jim]

Its obviously a sensible stance because the irish sea seperates us from the rest of the UK but I think that its ironic that unionists are willing to exclude themselves from the UK whenever they feel like it, as this is an economic reason. This doesnt mean its a bad thing, you can bet the English wouldnt think twice about doing the same thing.

[He_Who_Walks_in_The_Wilderness]

we are not exculding ourselfs from the UK only from Great Britain which we have never been part of anyway

[Jim]

The point is the same whether its the UK or Britain, loyalist arguements are solely based on the idea of Britishness.

If the points are the same then it ruins loyalist arguements for Ulster being "british soil". Cant have it both ways man!

[Harry]

Talk about scraping the barrel for something to show the apparent Unionist willingness to disassociate themselves from Britain ........

[Jim]

bloody right

IN seriousness I think its interesting. If it was the UK trying to be excluded from NI unionist leaders would be shouting all sorts.

[Harry]

So we are separated by water, FMD disease is found on the mainland, measures are taken here to prevent the spread of the virus to these shores. Why shouldn't we make it clear that our cattle are free of the disease and as such help our already troubled farmers to try and make a living? Its nothin about selling out to the highest bidder but merely using common sense and ensuring that people don't suffer needlessly. If FMD was found in the south then of course the exact same measures would be taken to try and stop the spread of it into the north. God i thought it was only us who tried to bring politics into everything!!!

[Jim]

Hold on a minute I'm not saying we shouldnt I obviously think its a good idea that we should because its a different region on a different island.

Common sense seems to come and go when it suits it seems. This is clear when UK insurance companies, stores, and other schemes you see on TV dont want anything to do with NI ("excludes northern ireland") yet many people insist that NI is a fully integral part of the UK and getting unfairly treated. The second they get a chance to exclude themselves on the basis of bettering the economy those voices are for some reason quiet. Its obviously a good reason but it does make me question loyality over money and I'm not the only one to question it. I'm sure unionists would be waving the same stick if republicans wanted to cut trade links with the ROI for a while if there was some sort isolated of outbreak down in cork.

[An Fear Dubh]

As Jim says this common sense attitude of Unionism seems to come when it effects Unionists financially. As the Celtic Tiger sniffs northwards business Unionism contorts itself to accommodate fornication with wanton desire, and with no concern to take protection.

[He_Who_Walks_in_The_Wilderness]

jim said:

The point is the same whether its the UK or Britain, loyalist arguements are solely based on the idea of Britishness.

If the points are the same then it ruins loyalist arguements for Ulster being "british soil". Cant have it both ways man!

As harry says, this is a very poor attempt to score points against loyalism. As you well know we are not part of great britain, we have never been part of great britain, we are part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and if you look at a British passport there it says clearly emblazioned on the front of it that exact title, and then of course if you look inside that passport it says that the person is a member of the United Kingdom of Great Britain or in other words a british citzen. So you tell me how not wanting to be classified as part of great britain which we have never been part of anyway, dimminishs our Britishness.

[Wasp]

harry said:

So we are separated by water, FMD disease is found on the mainland, measures are taken here to prevent the spread of the virus to these shores. Why shouldn't we make it clear that our cattle are free of the disease and as such help our already troubled farmers to try and make a living? Its nothin about selling out to the highest bidder but merely using common sense and ensuring that people don't suffer needlessly. If FMD was found in the south then of course the exact same measures would be taken to try and stop the spread of it into the north. God i thought it was only us who tried to bring politics into everything!!!

Exactly.