Would Ireland benefit from a closer movement with the Nordic countries

[fluffybiscuits]

Just following on from the Captains post earlier on in which Scotland discussed closer ties with Scandanavia if it regained indepdendence, could Ireland benefit from the same? Somethings worth looking at

-Gas and Oil

We would gain perhaps access to vast reserves of gas and oil which we could explore to our own end. Set up community co-ops whom go out and work researching the North Sea for oil and gas.

-Human Rights

Norway and especially Sweden have always lead the charge against human rights abuses and have given rights to ethnic minorities and the gay community. This would perhaps push Ireland forward given its late entry into this arena.

-Higher standard of living

Scandanavia has consistently had high standards of living , perhaps joining a Scandanavia Union of sorts may bolster our living standards. We can learn from their diet, work life balance and other ways of living.

Im open to correction, three reasons above, anyone add any more?

[Holly]

The Norwegians might not give us oil at a discount just because we say we like and admire them and want to be like them.

[morticia]

Shared Viking ancestry and all that.... solidarity?? Seasonal affective disorder?

Worth a go.....

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

We could do with closer links to Iceland and thats for sure. Sweden I'm not at all convinced about as they have a terrible habit of lying worse than an Irish politician. They claim all sorts of success stories for some of their distinctly Lutheran policies which aren't borne out by results.

There's a lot of bullshyte floating around about Sweden and its 'successful' policies on governmental alcohol retail monopolies and the nonsense about criminalising the clients of prostitutes. In both cases all they've managed to do is pull yet another veil of confusion over reality and massaged statistics accordingly in order to make those policies look successful to the outside world.

The Danes have an unofficial policy of blocking cross-EU migrants (people who are actually entitled to be in the EU because they were born there) and have a thriving subculture of racism which is only detectable in inexplicable delays in bureaucracy for non-Danes.

The Norwegians are just nuts, bless 'em. Admittedly I've only met a few in my life but the few I've met were distinctly off-planet.

The Icelanders are the ones I admire. I like their fish, their Bjork, and their habit of kicking corrupt politicians up the hole and framing extraordinarily democratic new constitutions. In between fishing and listening to Bjork.

[Binn Beal]

And pickled herring.

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

I think that comes under the heading of 'bjork' .. especially after a feed of Guinness as well.

[Spectabilis]

I thought we were adopting a country Fluffy? Now the Nordic Council?
Sure we'd never have the time with all the twinning trips and what not and we'd run through the oil money in jigtime:)

[Holly]

I understand sheep head is a staple in Iceland.

http://i1087.photobucket.com/albums/j480/rogerduke1/sheephead.jpg

[TotalMayhem]

I much prefer a nice pig head. ;)

http://i.imgur.com/N3aGI.jpg

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Maybe we should kickstart a barter economy with Iceland. They can have all the sheeps heads and pigs heads they like in return for herring.

It would probably be moments before some little **** in a tie suggested a 'futures' market based on it and he'd probably be carrying a Goldman Sachs briefcase.