Uniting Ireland: Economic Points
* The border acts as a barrier to investment and growth, which stifles the economic potential of the whole of Ireland.
* If we are to improve the economic position of all the people of Ireland we need to consider how to address the limitations of the Border in a real sense. To do so means considering the island as a whole, through a full and detailed economic strategy.
* Currently there are useful but limited attempts to maximise business opportunities in spite of the border. We need to move beyond this towards mew ways of maximising the economic potential of the whole island.
* A new start is needed in Ireland if we are to change our politics, our economy and our whole society for the better. We can't do that without examining a fundamental issue- the way we govern ourselves on the whole of Ireland.
* Claims that the north is completely reliant on the British state have been greatly exaggerated. These claims have been used as a barrier to Irish Unity.
* Unionism and the British claim that the North requires £10.5 bn from the British state in order to economically survive, this is not true.
* The British Government allocates £17 bn to the Executive and another half billion is spent on council services. A total of £17.5 billion.
* Revenue generated in the North has been estimated by the Department of Finance and Personnel to be £12.7 bn.
* The real gap therefore between what the British actually allocate and is raised in the north is £4.8 billion not £10.5 billion.
