My brother John was up at the weekend for my birthday and we were discussing the cost of living in both parts of Ireland.
My visit to my GP costs me nothing.
John’s visit to his GP costs him € 60.
My drug prescriptions are free.
John’s prescriptions can cost him € 90.
If I go to A&E in the North its free.
If John goes to A&E without a GP referral it costs him € 100.
John bought a Wolf Blass wine in Asda in Larne for £ 5.50.
The same wine in Waterford is € 13.
Everything to do with motoring – cars road tax, insurance in the South is multiplied by several factors.
Dentistry is so expensive in the South that many come North for treatment.
A one bed apartment in Larne is circa £ 300 per month
In Tramore in Waterford it is € 1300 per month.
Granted the salaries in the Republic are bigger than those in the North.
BEING IRISH
I regard myself as Irish and not British.
My only passport is an Irish passport.
The Brits have been in Ireland more or less for 800 plus years.
Because of where I live I take more interest in British politics than Irish – but I do keep an eye of the Irish politics too.
I’m living on the “UK” for 46 years out of my 70.
Today I go and vote for the Northern Ireland Assembly in all its uselessness.
But mainly because of the cost of living, why would any of us in the North want to go, at this time into a United Ireland?
Would we not be like turkeys voting for Christmas.
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 