Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness will meet Queen Elizabeth next week

That is too funny, jacersagain!

In times of fiscal retrenchment regional subventions threaten domestic stability. The Iron Lady once refused to pass on EU funding to UK regions telling NI politicians that we (the English) need them. Harold Wilson once called Ulster Unionist "spongers". The current 'techno glitch' (?) within Ulster Bank is reputed to be liquidity issue. Rumour has it that Ulster Bank will be nationalised by the Irish Government, (and its parent company National Westminister (NatWest) by the British Government). Given that economics predicates politics, Ireland being Britains major trading partner, (and the 26 counties that of the 6), any one wanna guess which way the yarrow sticks will fall.

Unrealist.Ireland and the Irish people have always been rich in pearls.For 800 years our pearls have been stolen by force by swine.Since 1973 we have indeed cast our "Pearls before swine" or so it would seem.It's just a matter of interrupting who is the swine.

Still reading fairytales I see.

seanomelb: Not "perplexed" anymore then? The term PIG seems to have gone over your head my friend. "Pearls before swine" (that's from the Bible, by the way)....lol.

Unrealist.Let's get something straight first.There is no "friends" in business or between Countries.That kind of terminology is used because the taxpayer can relate to it.Countries do business out of self interest and band together with other Countries who have similar goals.I never said there would be a British banking crash.But it is quite possible that A bank could be LET fail like Lehman Brothers in the US.But it is unlikely to happen in the EU.My point is that it is silly to think any nation/ordinary people in the EU should be grateful for any loan that it is given.The crisis was not caused by the people or a government overspending on services.It was elite private investors and bankers and lack of regulation was the cause.The problem is private debt losses placed on the shoulders of the taxpayer.That's what foreign debt is.This is how you know.At the moment each person in the UK owe €117,580.If you had a family of five and after paying all your taxes plus vat on everything you buy ect for services to run the country.You and your family have over spent by €587,900??? The same scenario of 5 people when it comes to Ireland comes to €1,954,845.Are you trying to tell me that the Irish government provided such a good service for the country that along with my taxes,vat ect.My family cost them an extra €2 million??lol.The PIGS are the 2% of the population of Europe who have all the money AND STILL HAVE ALL THE MONEY because they hold Governments over a barrel when the last bet they placed goes pear-shaped.The bondholders want their money back or else.Of course I believe this crisis was manufactured by the financial elite to force governments into closer fiscal union.But that's another story.I would be very surprised if the Euro was let fail.

I love my bacon!! Realist cannot make a point without making an insult the sign of a beaten man OINK! OINK!

Just looking at some of the comments. Yet again most arent about the article.

As for “the shock downgrade” as you put it, to quote the BBC business site…."The downgrades from Moody's have been expected for some time, and therefore had already been factored in". “So what will be the effect of the downgrades? Well, they might push up the cost of borrowing for the banks fractionally. But it would be odd if the impact was terribly significant - largely because they have all been downgraded, and those who control vast pots of cash have to put their money somewhere.” Also, “it is worth remembering that the Bank of England and HM Treasury have announced two new schemes to provide copious amounts of cheap loans to British banks, which can be seen as insurance against the downgrades leading to any kind of renewed credit crunch”. Well, I would not expect anything else....a British banking crash is just your little wet dream that simply won't come true. Actually, it is more likely that the Republic of Ireland re-adopt the Pound. How about that....an all-Ireland currency at last but not quite how you planned it porky. Now that would really fry your bacon, wouldn’t it? Lol….oink, oink.

sirpiglet: Firstly, I have to laugh at your use of the term “trotter”….but then what else should I expect from a PIG….lol. The £7 billion loan was not part of the IMF/EU bailout package (to which the U.K. also contributed I might add). To quote the British Chancellor, George Osbourne, "….Ireland is a friend in need and this is for Ireland only….we are doing this because it is overwhelmingly in Britain's national interest that we have a stable Irish economy and banking system. The current Irish situation has become unsustainable. Their sovereign debt markets had effectively closed and had little prospect of reopening." Enda Kenny (who seems to know on which side his bread is buttered a little better than you) also said: "….the British government loan to Ireland was very gratefully received." No mention of, “they won’t get a cent back” by the way. The Chancellor also said, “Around 40% of exports from Northern Ireland go south of the border (Northern Ireland important enough to mention here - so much for, “the English have nothing but contempt for ye”….lol) and, according to U.K. Government figures, every person in the Republic spends an average of £3,607 per year on British goods.”

Unrealist Lol.Three posts on the "trotter" Looks like I have you well rattled.My comments on this article must have hit a nerve.lol.Back to this loan you keep going on about.That £7 billion of British taxpayers money was used to prop up the Euro,Irish Banks and German bondholders through Ireland.English banks exposed to Irish Banks.If Irish banks fail British banks fail.The EU is a web of debt all exposed to each others banking system.British banks are now in trouble.(Sunday, Jun 24 2012)Santander UK.~Millions of British bank customers felt the effects of the eurozone turmoil today as Santander became the latest giant to be hit by the debt crisis.The shock downgrade compounds fears of contagion spreading from Greece and it is the first time that the crisis now engulfing the ailing eurozone has been felt directly on British shores ~ British savers should be reassured by the savings compensation scheme, which would reimburse customers for up to £85,000 in the event of a banking collapse.(Well that's a lie)I mean what's a Tommy to do? lol The Emmanuel's in Spain want their money back fast.Tommy is going to have to pay with cutbacks and there will be no hand-outs left for Billy in NI...lol.Hey Billy!! You might think you're not European.But it sure as hell going to feel like it..lol...lol

Anne Enright: “Ireland is a series of stories it tells itself. None of them are true.”

George Bernard Shaw: "I learned long ago, never wrestle with a PIG. You get dirty, and besides, the PIG likes it." Lol....and Sinn Fein proposes marriage to the PIG. Ah, now all that's left is the ever declining 'aspiration' to a 'united Ireland' - I feel genuinely sorry for those obliged to sell this 'notion once again'....I think Oscar Wilde put it best, "Ambition is the last refuge of the failure". I can only imagine the tears of frustration at the opinion polls on the subject. Well....time to write another sad song I guess....lol.

sirpeter: Lol....I'm only asking you some questions, which, as usual, you declined to answer. Therefore, as seems always necessary with you, I will ask again....Did the Republic of Ireland or did they not accept a loan from the U.K. of over £7 billion? Why then would they accept a loan from a country that owes them money? Please feel free to "educate" us. "If Ireland is to become a new Ireland she must first become European". Lol....well they have taken Joyce at his word and now they are fully owned by the Germans (among others). "And so what if we spent all the Krauts money"? Is that Sinn Fein's 'big idea'? Take their money and spit in their faces? As a PIG, for that is what you are, (not my term I might add, can't take credit for that) you should remember that the Germans' favourite food is wurst - guess what that's made from porky? Dear oh dear, the year of the Celtic paper tiger enters the millennium of the PIG....lol.

Old Deano is at it again with his stupid theories.The IRA were created in 1918.