I think it may be more political than that, stability in Northern Ireland is seen by some as playing into the hands of the Catholics, and the eventual uniting of the island of Ireland. Included in the Good Friday agreement are a number of cross border agreements, including the creation of a North-South Ministerial Council and North-South Implementation Bodies to bring about cross-border cooperation in policy and programmes on a number of issues.
The main tenet of the agreement was that the constitutional future of Northern Ireland should be determined by the majority vote of its citizens. That means the people of Ulster could, if they so desired, vote to re-unite with the Republic. Stability in the north, and the creation of wealth through peace and cooperation with the Republic could well sway enough Protestant voters to see a better future in a united Ireland.
Housing estates for Catholics and Protestants are being planned across Ulster now after the success of new, unsegregated estates in Belfast. No-one is forced to live there, you must apply, and the waiting list is years long, proving the two sides can co-exist, and are willing to do so. One women who was interviewed from one of these estates said she had no desire to know what religion her neighbours were, and didn't care.
I see a bright future for Ulster, although there are still two important things that need to happen pretty quickly, Sinn Féin need to recognise the police force of the North, and Ian Paisley needs to meet his maker.
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