Sir, – One assumes that the costs of public services, including defence, would be born entirely by the government of a united Ireland. In this event it would be reasonable to compare Ireland with a country of similar size such as Denmark. In Denmark, 10.4 per cent of GDP is spent on health provision and 7.6 per cent on education. The cost of defence in Denmark is approximately $4.7 billion (€4.17 billion), which is still below the 2 per cent target of Nato nations. Currently defence expenditure in the Republic is below €1 billion. Denmark, like Norway and other Nato countries, maintains an army, navy and air force which can only be adequately manned by compulsory conscription. Nato membership would seem to be an inevitable development? Finland and Switzerland which are not members of Nato also resort to conscription. How can a united Ireland avoid these implications? The average Dane pays a total of 45 per cent in income taxes to maintain its current budget. How would the Irish population greet a drastic increase in income taxes and the advent of military conscription? Ireland could possibly be faced with a flight of capital. In the run-up to the next elections, is it not time for all the relevant issues to be faced squarely and debated? – Yours, etc,
THOMAS MORRIS,
Coventry,
England.
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Sir, – Former TD and MEP Gay Mitchell's letter (December 15th) greatly widens the debate on political options for a future Ireland. His suggestion that Northern Ireland might remain a separate entity opens up a new range of possibilities, including, I may add, the Celtonian idea of NI linking up ultimately with the Republic and a possible independent Scotland.
Unfortunately, the entire spectrum of political opinion in the South is still studiously ignoring the emerging sense of a Northern Irish identity, which has edged ahead of the British and Irish identities in opinion polls.
If unity is ever to be on the agenda, North and South should sit at the negotiation table, as equal partners. – Yours, etc,
DORCHA LEE,
Navan,
Co Meath.