BS: Ireland and the Commonwealth

Subject: BS: IRELAND AND THE COMMONWEALTH
From: The Sandman
Date: 18 Feb 19 - 05:37 AM

Should ireland consider the option of leaving europe and joining the commonwealth, if there is a brexit no deal.
I do not have a strong opinion either way but i am interested in others opinions

Subject: RE: BS: IRELAND AND THE COMMONWEALTH
From: Iains
Date: 18 Feb 19 - 06:13 AM

Any possible outcomes should perhaps be discussed after the upcoming European elections in May. The political landscape has the potential to change dramatically after this.

Subject: RE: BS: IRELAND AND THE COMMONWEALTH
From: Raggytash
Date: 18 Feb 19 - 06:21 AM

I would think after 800 years of subjugation it is highly unlikely there would be any appetite for joining a the commonwealth within the Republic of Ireland.

Subject: RE: BS: IRELAND AND THE COMMONWEALTH
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 18 Feb 19 - 06:29 AM

Ireland proved it is more than capable of standing on its own two feet
Until the bankers and tax dodgers sent it crashing, Ireland had the fastest growing economy in Europe
THey learned to use the EU rather than permanently whining about as did... well - you know who I mean, and benefited immensely - including in the fields of the Arts
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: BS: IRELAND AND THE COMMONWEALTH
From: Iains
Date: 18 Feb 19 - 06:43 AM

I would like to know how it will stand on it's own feet after brexit.
I trust all those Irish Trucks transiting the UK will have international driving licenses and customs carnets and other such documentation.
Now how much supermarket food in Ireland originates in the UK? and what is the largest Irish export market?

As Martin said to his man: Who will whine then?
And let us study the recent itinery of the Irish Ro RO brexit Buster?
Last Port Call        Actual time of Arrival (UTC)
Zeebrugge        2019-02-18 08:29
Killingholme        2019-02-17 07:42
Zeebrugge        2019-02-16 08:14
Killingholme        2019-02-15 11:06
Zeebrugge        2019-02-14 04:23
Well bless my soul. I do not see Ireland anywhere. Why is that I wonder?
Do shekels have a role to play?

Subject: RE: BS: IRELAND AND THE COMMONWEALTH
From: Jack Campin
Date: 18 Feb 19 - 07:34 AM

Effectively the UK left the Commonwealth years ago. Its member nations have much stronger links with each other than they do with a "mother country" whose main aim is to deport as many foreigners as possible no matter what the cost, and Commonwealth citizens in particular.

There shouldn't be any problem with Ireland joining the Commonwealth as well as the EU.

Subject: RE: BS: IRELAND AND THE COMMONWEALTH
From: The Sandman
Date: 18 Feb 19 - 03:17 PM

The Commonwealth of Nations, normally known as the Commonwealth,[2] is a sui generis political association of 53 member states, nearly all of them former territories of the British Empire.[3] The chief institutions of the organisation are the Commonwealth Secretariat, which focuses on intergovernmental aspects, and the Commonwealth Foundation, which focuses on non-governmental relations between member states.[4]

The Commonwealth dates back to the first half of the 20th century with the decolonisation of the British Empire through increased self-governance of its territories. It was originally created as the British Commonwealth[5] through the Balfour Declaration at the 1926 Imperial Conference, and formalised by the United Kingdom through the Statute of Westminster in 1931. The current Commonwealth of Nations was formally constituted by the London Declaration in 1949, which modernised the community, and established the member states as "free and equal".[6]

The human symbol of this free association is the Head of the Commonwealth, currently Queen Elizabeth II, and the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting appointed Charles, Prince of Wales to be her designated successor, although the position is not technically heriditary. The Queen is the head of state of 16 member states, known as the Commonwealth realms, while 32 other members are republics and five others have different monarchs.

Member states have no legal obligations to one another. Instead, they are united by English language, history, culture and their shared values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.[4] These values are enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter[7] and promoted by the quadrennial Commonwealth Games.

The countries of the Commonwealth cover more than 29,958,050 km2 (11,566,870 sq mi), equivalent to 20% of the world's land area, and span all six inhabited continents. Ireland was a member until 1949

Subject: RE: BS: IRELAND AND THE COMMONWEALTH
From: Jack Campin
Date: 18 Feb 19 - 04:35 PM

We can all look up Wikipedia if we want.

Subject: RE: BS: IRELAND AND THE COMMONWEALTH
From: The Sandman
Date: 18 Feb 19 - 05:29 PM

Jack just trying to save you the trouble, were you aware it is now the commonwealth of nations?were you aware that the oath of allegiance is not compulsory?I look forward to your reply

Subject: RE: BS: IRELAND AND THE COMMONWEALTH
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 18 Feb 19 - 07:55 PM

What would be the point? Even aside from the fact that it would inevitably be seen as highly provocative, there are absolutely no advantages in such membership.

There are of course two countries in the Commonwealth that never had any coneecttion with the British Empire, Mozambique and Rwanda, but for them it was a matter of building up links with close neighbours, such as Kenya and South Africa. For Ireland there are already close links with neighbours, all of which are in the EU. Even the UK still is at this point, and there's still time to preserve that.

If the EU decided to set up a formal link with the Commonwealth, or the other way round, I don't imagine Ireland would have many issues with that. Those would be the only circumstances in which it would be conceivable for Ireland to belong.

Subject: RE: BS: Ireland and the Commonwealth
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Feb 19 - 03:21 AM

what would be the point?,well. the abilty to trade agricultural products with the uk assuming that the EU allows ireland to trade with the uk and remain in the EU, in the event pof a no deal brexit iI am under the impression perhaps wrongly the the uk has set a precedent by being amember of the

Subject: RE: BS: Ireland and the Commonwealth
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Feb 19 - 03:25 AM

of the EU and the commonwealth similtaneously, however the EU night not allow it. next question how much beef lamb etc does germany and france but from ireland, does the uk in fact buy more?

Subject: RE: BS: Ireland and the Commonwealth
From: Jack Campin
Date: 19 Feb 19 - 04:01 AM

New Zealand got a trade deal with the EU a few weeks ago that was worth a lot more to them than anything the Commonwealth could provide. The Commonwealth stopped being an important trading bloc decades ago.

I was in NZ when the UK joined the EU. It didn't have a lot of effect, links with the Pacific Rim had been getting more significant long before. As with the EU, freedom oF movement comes along with trade - NZ has more Chinese, Indian and Korean immigrants than British ones.

Subject: RE: BS: Ireland and the Commonwealth
From: Rapparee
Date: 20 Feb 19 - 08:57 PM

Knowing what I know of folks in the Republic of Ireland, I'd say the chances of the Republic joining the Commonwealth approaches zero. Too much has been gained there by EU membership, Euro use, and free travel to and from the continent.

The thorn in the border with Northern Ireland, as the law grants citizenship to individuals born in Northern Ireland under the same conditions as those born in the Republic of Ireland. In short, those in NI can also claim citizenship in the Republic if they wish and I suspect that many would do so (not the DUPs, of course).

Subject: RE: BS: Ireland and the Commonwealth
From: Thompson
Date: 21 Feb 19 - 03:23 AM

Why on earth would we want to leave the world’s biggest trading bloc (whose laws and social standards have also changed Ireland immensely for the better) for a group of sometimes dictator-led countries wounded by the effects of colonisation?

Subject: RE: BS: Ireland and the Commonwealth
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 21 Feb 19 - 03:59 AM

Amen to that Thomson
The Commonwealth smacks o 8 centuries of foreign oppression to the Irish
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: BS: Ireland and the Commonwealth
From: David Carter (UK)
Date: 21 Feb 19 - 04:31 AM

The only advantage to Ireland in joining the Commonwealth would be being able to compete in the Commonwealth Games. They did that in 1930 and 1934. I am sure an arrangement could be made, after all Rwanda competes in the Commonwealth Games despite never having been part of the Commonwealth.