Could the Republic of Ireland/Eire survive without the UK?

Question

I mean mainly in a economical sense, perhaps any views on cultural changes too should the UK (and Northern Ireland) vanish over night. Would the Celtic Tiger economy survive?Would the UK suffer from the absence of Eire?

Please dont turn this into a political debate!

Answer 1

The Republic of Ireland has been a fully functioning economy for quite a while now. We are much more dependent on our EU membership and the common market, as well as the predominantly American multinational companies based in Ireland than we are on the UK. This has become even more defined since we joined the common currency, which the UK opted out of.

The Celtic Tiger economy has been in decline for the past 3 years, mainly as a result of increasing oil prices, the global credit crunch and the general international trend towards recession - something that is outside the influence of either the UK or Irish economies.

Northern Ireland is fairly insignificant in terms of the functioning of the Republics economy - NI requires over 6 billion sterling per year in subsidies from the UK in order to function and haalso received funding and investment from the Republic under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

If the UK were to disappear tomorrow, it would have a considerable impact on the Irish economy, as the UK is our closest neighbour and as such is an important market, especially for our agricultural produce, in terms of tourism, and as a service provider (I think about 75% of our electricity is imported from the UK). However, we would survive due to the EU and our trade links with the US and elsewhere.

If the Republic were to disappear, it would affect the UK but not to such a large extent as it has a much larger economy and could cushion the impact. However, they'd no longer have somewhere to go on stag parties.

I don't think you'll have much success asking this to remain non-political, any time the UK and the Republic are mentioned in the same sentence, all the bigots come out to play.

Answer 2

no

Answer 3

Honestly what kind of question is this, if the U.K. simply vanished the global economy would be in the crapper not just Ireland's. If Ireland disappeared it would have a similar albeit smaller affect.

Answer 4

Both countries benefit in many ways from their existence, so yes there would be knock on effects.  How bad they would be is anyone's guess.  The Celtic Tiger is over.

Answer 5

The Celtic tiger is already dead and it has nothing got to do with the uk.

I don't see how the uk could suffer from the absence of Eire as we are our own independent state.

Answer 6

Of course we can!

Ireland has been an independent state since 1920!!

Answer 7

Without the Uk the republic would decline and probably disappear completely.The republic is heavily subsidised by the Uk, northern Ireland in particular.  

Answer 8

We could,we just have to find a few more trade partners.

Oh and what celtic tiger? I never felt it.