With Sinn Féin riding high on the back of voters’ dissatisfaction with the economy, the temptation to cash in Dublin’s corporation tax bounty will be great.
Statistics suggest that rents have increased by an average of 63 per cent since 2015. Demand for housing outstrips supply, and house prices continue to rise year on year.
A recent brawl at the National Party conference highlights how totally marginalised it remains in Dublin politics.
As Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil prepare for an unprecedented game of musical chairs, the republicans are riding high in the polls.
As long as their activists call them “colonialists” and candidates glorify the IRA, the idea is as convincing as a Hannukah greeting from Jeremy Corbyn.
Of course the result is a bad one. But we encourage the party to co-govern in Northern Ireland, so can scarcely object if now does so too in the Irish Republic.
An extremist party is gaining support – from those wishing to protest housing shortages and hospital overcrowding.
The Taoiseach was speaking ahead of today’s talks with Theresa May and Northern Irish political leaders.
Under international law, it can only be a temporary arrangement – and this must be put in explicit, legally binding, terms.
Also: Welsh Tory leadership hopefuls would put pacts with other parties to the membership; unionists turn on Robinson over united Ireland comments; and more.
“Two years later no-one knows what they want, even the Tory party. Theresa May says one thing and Boris Johnson says another.”
Also: DUP maintain a tough line on Brexit as Sinn Fein try to woo unionists with Senate appointment; and SNP have to delay devolution again.
Dublin likes to cite the Belfast Agreement, and we certainly all need what it exemplified – that’s to say, a good old-fashioned face-saving fudge.
Their negotiating stance is often very aggressive and unyielding. They will seek to cause maximum damage at a critical time.