Sinn Féin and DUP in common ground shocker
Who'd a thunk it?
From the Irish Times:
Peter Robinson:
And Martin McGuinness:
"We all know that human nature clearly tells us that over the course of many years people in the border areas and indeed people wider afield will travel almost anywhere to get a good bargain".
And why are they saying this? Because the Drogheda Chamber of Commerce, inter alia, doesn't like open borders:
"In an open letter to Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan and Tánaiste Mary Coughlan yesterday, the chamber called on them to “act urgently” to assist the commercial and retail sectors in the State to “stem the flow of income and sales North to the jurisdiction of the UK government”.
These are not temporary 2.5% VAT style reductions, but rather more significant savings: "The National Consumer Agency has found a margin of up to 30 per cent in food prices on either side of the Border".
(Yes, I know food is zero VAT rated in these parts)
Meanwhile, as to the two pachyderms in the parlour, there is not much I can add to comment on the Mumbai atrocities and the Stasi raid on Damien Green. However, my ongoing reaction to broadcast news on the former is to hiss, 'Go on, say the 'M' word - I dare you, I double dare you'.
From the Irish Times:
Peter Robinson:
“Let’s be clear, this is swings and roundabouts. There have been many occasions where this has worked in the other direction, it worked in terms of fuel and aggregates when that very clearly damaged the prospects of businesses on our side of the border,” Mr Robinson added.
He said: “Some in the South have said it is unpatriotic to shop in Northern Ireland, but in the spirit of North-South co-operation, I am happy to offer a warm welcome to all of our visitors from the South.”And Martin McGuinness:
"We all know that human nature clearly tells us that over the course of many years people in the border areas and indeed people wider afield will travel almost anywhere to get a good bargain".
And why are they saying this? Because the Drogheda Chamber of Commerce, inter alia, doesn't like open borders:
"In an open letter to Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan and Tánaiste Mary Coughlan yesterday, the chamber called on them to “act urgently” to assist the commercial and retail sectors in the State to “stem the flow of income and sales North to the jurisdiction of the UK government”.
These are not temporary 2.5% VAT style reductions, but rather more significant savings: "The National Consumer Agency has found a margin of up to 30 per cent in food prices on either side of the Border".
(Yes, I know food is zero VAT rated in these parts)
Meanwhile, as to the two pachyderms in the parlour, there is not much I can add to comment on the Mumbai atrocities and the Stasi raid on Damien Green. However, my ongoing reaction to broadcast news on the former is to hiss, 'Go on, say the 'M' word - I dare you, I double dare you'.
Labels: I shop therefore I am, Southern Ireland, Ulster
This entry was posted
on Friday, November 28, 2008 at 11:41 am.
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