Originally posted by detachedindividual
And, as I understand it, we are doing so because Ireland is our fifth biggest trade partner (I think). If Ireland falls, we will loose a lot more than 7bn. Our financial ties are highly complex, but we have to have their bonds stable to make our money back.
his 7bn serves to reassure the wider world that Ireland is safe for investment, thereby getting our money back in the future.
According to the link in my post, the balance of payments in 2009 was £3bn in our favour.
But, it's also because we cannot afford to have millions of immigrants coming into England from Ireland.
Neither can we allow a violent faction of the previous IRA/RIRA (or any one of a number of radical Irish groups) to destabilize the country.
If we proper and real border control and checked everyone in and out of the country, we could stop this from happening. And if we let the UK military and special forces off the lead, we could stop the IRA/RIRA.
Look at what happened in other nations, and without a bankruptcy. Governments have fallen. Rioting in the streets. Massive security problems.
If Ireland indeed became bankrupt, can you imagine the opportunities which would arise for radical groups?
But why should this be the UK's problem? Secure our borders and let Ireland sink or swin.



