Brexit and the Border

Speaking in the House of Lords recently, Lord Empey said NI is in 'state of paralysis'. This was following a court judgement which ruled that a senior civil servant had no power to approve a major planning application in the absence of elected ministers at Stormont. Still no Assembly, no ministers and no one representing the people of Northern Ireland. However, the Northern Ireland people always find a way to get heard. Brexit and the future of Northern Ireland has become increasingly urgent. There is no decision on the border post -Brexit and the Northern Ireland people are concerned.

My week began in London atBrexit and Northern Irelandconference organised by UK in a Changing Europe. Owen Patterson MP started the day by suggesting that the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is a non-issue. By this he meant that there are practical solutions, namely technology. He does not see it as a practical problem but a political problem borne out of a lack of political will. He has watched with dismay the souring of relations between London, Dublin and Belfast and believes that the Dublin Government is not working on the issue of the border because they loathe the idea of Brexit in its entirety.  Dublin, he maintains, hates the EU referendum result as they are steeped in the European project.  

But what do the Northern Ireland people think about Brexit and the Border? Professor John Garry from Queen’s University Belfast presented findings from a survey and a deliberative forum, both conducted by Ipsos MORI, on behalf of the QUB Research Team [1]. This research represented the views of a representative sample of 1,000 NI citizens and the findings from a citizen’s forum of 48 ordinary people representative of NI. The findings from the survey and the forum led the researchers at Queen’s University Belfast to three conclusions:

First, there is opposition to possible North-South border checks between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and to East-West checks between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

Second, there are expectations that protests against either border checks would quickly deteriorate into violence.

Third, there is substantial support (a majority in both communities) for a soft Brexit where the UK remains in the customs union and single market eliminating the need for any border checks. 

The deliberative forum revealed that the absence of an Assembly was a source of frustration but the consensus was, its restoration would make much difference, quoting one citizen: 

“It doesn’t matter who’s negotiating it, we don’t have a say. They’re not at the table, they don’t have a seat. Even if Stormont was up and running next week they won’t have a say.”

In terms of relations among the Islands, the Queen’s report also suggested there was a “sense of distance that several Catholics felt from the Republic of Ireland and the perceived lack of affection some Protestants believe Britain has for Northern Ireland.” 

The conference speakers all agreed that relations have deteriorated and NI people are uneasy about the future. Finally, the former Taoiseach expressed the deep hurt felt by the Irish people at the UK leaving the EU. He likened it to your best friend going off and not telling you. Therefore, he suggests that Ireland will do what is best for Ireland as it is indeed steeped in the European project.   Looks like Northern Ireland will continue to get squeezed from both sides!