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Should there be a united Ireland? Should there be a united Ireland?
Yes, Ireland should be united Yes, Ireland should be united
No, Northern Ireland should remain part of the United Kingdom No, Northern Ireland should remain part of the United Kingdom
Northern Ireland should become its own independent country Northern Ireland should become its own independent country
Ireland should be united as part of the United Kingdom Ireland should be united as part of the United Kingdom
A united Ireland would allow Northern Ireland to have a greater voice A united Ireland would allow Northern Ireland to have a greater voice
Brexit has made a united Ireland necessary Brexit has made a united Ireland necessary
It would streamline Ireland's economy It would streamline Ireland's economy
Ireland is one nation and should be one sovereign state Ireland is one nation and should be one sovereign state
British rule in Ireland was never legitimate British rule in Ireland was never legitimate
The majority of people in Ireland as a whole support it The majority of people in Ireland as a whole support it
Britain doesn't care about Northern Ireland Britain doesn't care about Northern Ireland
The Northern Irish people want to be part of the UK The Northern Irish people want to be part of the UK
It would disrupt the hard-won peace It would disrupt the hard-won peace
It would be giving in to the IRA It would be giving in to the IRA
Northern Ireland is too expensive for Ireland to administer Northern Ireland is too expensive for Ireland to administer
Brexit showed the dangers of major change by referendum Brexit showed the dangers of major change by referendum
Neither Britain or Ireland have Northern Irish interests at heart Neither Britain or Ireland have Northern Irish interests at heart
Northern Ireland has its own distinct culture Northern Ireland has its own distinct culture
All of Ireland would be stronger as part of the UK All of Ireland would be stronger as part of the UK
Debate Mini Map

Should there be a united Ireland?
Back to question

No, Northern Ireland should remain part of the United Kingdom

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It would be giving in to the IRA

A united Ireland would be viewed as a victory for IRA terrorists
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Context

Even more than 20 years after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, the campaign for a united Ireland is synonymous with the IRA, a terrorist group.

The Argument

The Republic of Ireland is still led by Sinn Fein, which was once the political wing of the IRA and its public supporters include former IRA members such as Gerry Kelly, as well as Gerry Adams who is widely believed to have been an IRA member. Because of this, creating a United Ireland would be akin to giving in to the demands of terrorists. It is of the utmost importance to not give terror groups anything they may consider a victory, and a United Ireland would be exactly this. This is especially true if a United Ireland comes out of fears of violence over Brexit, as this would be a direct submission to dissident Republican terror groups.

Counter arguments

Creating a united Ireland more than 20 years after the Good Friday Agreement would be the opposite of letting terrorists win: it would be showing terrorists that peaceful methods are the way to achieve victory. Decades of armed struggle failed to fulfil the IRA’s ultimate goal, proving that violence has not worked. But if a united Ireland is created now, it will be done through the institutions set up by the Good Friday Agreement. In other words, it will only have been possible because the IRA agreed to peace. This would be a great victory of peace over violence and would me a message to terrorists everywhere that peace is the correct path to pursue.

Premises

[P1] A united Ireland would be allowing the IRA to achieve its ultimate goal [P2] This would be giving in to terrorists

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P2] Showing that the IRA's goal can only be achieved through peace is the opposite of giving in to terrorists.

References

This page was last edited on Friday, 6 Dec 2019 at 15:47 UTC

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