Northern Ireland and the EU

Cotta

Is it possible to ascertain how much Northern Ireland has contributed to the EU since its inception and how much Northern Ireland has received back?

Stevie_Palimo

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-36315882

Stevie_Palimo

A group supporting a leave vote in the EU referendum has said it overstated Northern Ireland's contribution to the EU budget in a report it published.

Leave.eu had said on Tuesday that Northern Ireland's share of the UK's contribution in 2014 was about £500m.
◾The UK's EU referendum - all you need to know

It added that when receipt of £433m in agricultural subsidies and structural funds was considered it meant the region was a net contributor of £67m.

But the group later admitted that its figure was incorrect.

Recipient

Leave.eu said it had not deducted the necessary proportion of the UK's rebate - a refund on part of its contribution to the EU budget - from the £500m.

In 2014 the UK's gross contribution was £18.8bn but the rebate reduced the amount paid to £14.4bn.

Northern Ireland's proportion of the £14.4bn would have been about £375m, making Northern Ireland a net recipient of £58m.

A referendum on the UK's membership of the EU will take place on 23 June.

The Leave.eu report also claims that leaving the EU would allow the Northern Ireland Executive to pay more grants to farmers and businesses.

waltsalt

Gives you such faith in politics, doesn't it? Obviously it's always been the same but the lack of subtlety in the bulls**t for votes campaign from both sides is astounding.

qwert_yuiop

Stevie_Palimo wrote: »

The Leave.eu report also claims that leaving the EU would allow the Northern Ireland Executive to pay more grants to farmers and businesses.

I believe "Dream on" is the appropriate response to this one, folks.

Stevie_Palimo

qwert_yuiop wrote: »

I believe "Dream on" is the appropriate response to this one, folks.

That came from the link I added so was a BBC comment made.

Cotta

So in 2014 we (Northern Ireland) were benefactors to the tune of £58m? Are figures for other years available?

Stevie_Palimo

Cotta wrote: »

So in 2014 we (Northern Ireland) were benefactors to the tune of £58m? Are figures for other years available?

Might be on the BBC archives somewhere if you search the link I posted, There was other posts with the Guardian and the Times newspapers but presume it'll be internet digging to find previous years.

qwert_yuiop

Stevie_Palimo wrote: »

That came from the link I added so was a BBC comment made.

A major justification for leaving the eu would be to buy cheaper imports on the world market. I'd say beef from Brazil and Argentina would wipe out our meat trade in short order. Meanwhile Westminster would be pursuing a low tax, low spend form of government. Support for broke farmers in ni and unemployed meat factory workers, who seem to be largely foreign these days for some reason, would not be a priority. There's a point - unemployed foreigners would be on the boat home, so no bother there. The last non eu state I worked in was jersey. Once an outsider loses their job, they have a week to get out.