to think that will all the massive cuts that are being made it is odd

[2shoes]

that the government can lend another country billions....
now I know there will be a good reason for them doing it, but if we are so in debt, how the hell can we find money to lend to others??

i will moan when in the long term the cuts we are facing now could wreck my family.
if this all goes pear shape it could do more than that

But kerry the point of the OP was not to question the bail out per se. But to ask why we were doing it, or indeed how we are able to do it, given the crap happening over here at the mo vis a vis the cuts.

Meh. Ireland doesn't hate us. Some people in Ireland are extremely prejudiced, just as some people in England/the UK are. Most of us manage to get on just fine My MIL does try to reinforce the DC's Irishness though. During our last visit she bought them both Eire tracksuits in such a striking combination of the flag's colours that DS2 said 'Oh Nana! I love my costume!'. I shall of course retaliate by buying the full England football kit and making them wear it at all times.

I think kerry's comments are ridiculous by the way.

Very, very unhelpful to bang on about history, when there has been so much effort made by both countries to move forward.

And hugely irrelevant.

Litchick thanks, and thankfully that was explained before it all me came a bash the english thread.

It's a fine balance I think, 2shoes.

On the one hand Eire is a large part of our export market and we really cannot afford any further increase in the deficit. So this is a way to prop it up to some extent and shouldn't cost us anyhting.

However, as Beeta points out, there is a small possibility that Eire might default on the loan...

Beenbeta, there is NO WAY we will reject the bailout.

The overwhelming feeling is one of relief that the IMF have arrived.

That's how bad things have gotten here .

do you not pay water charges already?

surely its a good thing that we are debating the merits of this arrangement.

if we had questioned, scrutinised and called to task the actions of governments around the world a little more closely over the last 10 years we might not all be in this mess now

so you didn't have to pay for water....
9sorry shocked as thought ever one did)

here's what I don't understand. The Irish people voted against further integration of the EU. So what happens? They wait a few more years and ask, essentially, the same question. As if by repetition will get a positive outcome.

If Ireland had stayed independent, wonder what the financial outlook would have been? It was the Celtic Tiger a few years ago, right?

I can understand your anger kerry and can see that whatever happens now, Eire is fucked for quite a few years.

The trouble here in the UK is that for some people, and I think from memory 2shoes and Riven would fall into this catagory, the cuts are going to bite very hard indeed. So the mere idea of 'giving away' billions seems ludicrous.

Hence the OP.

And to be fair, even though this is a business transaction and we should gain from it, ther eis a risk attached. And so we're entitled to question the transaction, I feel.

oh it is never the fault of the people...always the system...

"should we really delve into the past, because if we did we could find a lot of fault on both sides. "

Really? If you could point out the bit where the Irish caused the deaths of millions of Brits and the emigration of millions more, then we can agree on that.

No-one of that is remotely relevant to the current situation, but some comments are just insulting.

Bonnie, next time I'm back I'm going to spit in your beer. And abandon you in Abrakebabra

because there is normally fault on both sides.
But as I wasn't alive in that era I can't say for sure.
tbh I do not see the relevance no either.
it just sems to be yet another attack on the english, who took no part in what ever bit of history you bring up.

Agree with you on that one prince billy.

Oh, don't agree with her oliviacrumble. It just encourages her. And she is norty

This is not about the UK literally taking the money from out 'account' and leaving us short.It is about restructuring the terms and conditions of loans already made and deals already done.In the same way the UK has dealings with other countries and tbh on paper we are not far behind ireland in terms of the state of our finances and after greece and spain we don't look too safe ourselves.Luckily the Uk has a bigger financial reputation internationally and so can borrow at better rates ATM and so we still are hanging on It is right for us to give this money rather than seeing ireland come to a standstill