"Sinn Fein and others who advocate breaking up the United Kingdom naively believe that Northern Ireland's people would be better off if republican dreams were realised. The facts of many aspects of life in the Republic of Ireland paint a remarkably different picture.
One area of concern
for many from a working-class background is the cost of renting a home.
This can often be the biggest single cost to a household especially for
the younger generation. Latest reports show that average rent in
Northern Ireland is £700 per month. In the Irish Republic however there
was a fierce dispute in the Irish Parliament recently between Sinn Fein
and the Taoiseach about rents, with the Taoiseach conceding that rents
were 'too high'.
If ever there was an understatement about rental costs
from a Government this was it. The latest Rental Report authored by
Ronan Lyons, Associate Professor of Economics in TCD reported that the
national average rent in the Republic of Ireland for a two bed property
is £1,269 per month. In Dublin City the average rent is £1,398 per
month, in Cork City its £1,069 per month, and even in rural Co. Donegal
which has the lowest rentals in the Country, it is accelerating fast as
average rents have increased in the past year alone by an astonishing
24%.
Leaving aside the fact that politically and demographically, their dream of taking Northern Ireland out of the United Kingdom is an impossibility, there are of course other economic factors to consider. These include that the Republic of Ireland is the 3rd most expensive country in Western Europe, with a family of four having a total estimated monthly expense of £3,971 according to stats from expatistan.com. Losing its tax haven status courtesy of President Biden's Corporation tax move along with increases in net EU contributions along with these enormous rental costs should help concentrate the minds of those 'dreamers' as they come to terms with the real world."