to think that it wont be possible to "sneak" into ROI via NI?

[PyongyangKipperbang]

Not me, someone I know.

Supposed to be going to ROI to visit family and obviously now cant go direct, so she is thinking of going to Belfast and driving down through the border to ROI.

2 issues, with no proof of destination in NI , will they even be allowed off the boat? And isnt there a huge risk of being stuck there, which would mean missing work and would cause them massive money problems?

Have Ireland not closed the British border similar to the way France etc have?

ROI have but have NI havent as yet.

Personally I think that it will probably be announced tomorrow but she is determined to go and thinks that this is the way around the ROI ban.

There will be checkpoints at the most obvious border crossings . But if she is willing to travel via back roads , she may avoid being caught. But she leaves herself open to being turned back or heavily fined.

I have a friend in the uk wondering the same thing.

England * sorry

Jesus whether it’s possible or not, I am not sure but it is totally wrong. The ports have been Closed to passengers for a reason- to hopefully prevent the spread of a new strain into Ireland. What she is proposing is morally wrong 😑

I don't think it's advisable but if she knows the area she could do it easily if she avoids the main road outside Newry or any of the other bigger crossing points. You can cross the border half a dozen times inside a few miles on some of the back roads and the only way you'd know you've done it is because the road signs change.

Welli I really bloody hope she doesn't.
Wont be welcomed here

And to clarify, when I say it's not advisable, I mean it's ridiculous.

But that doesn't mean it's not possible.

I agree that it is morally an appalling thing to do, but since when did "what is right" trump "what I want" to a certain type of person?

Apparently there are no border checks so she can just drive from north to south....which I did question but it "will be fine" according to her.

Thats taking out of the equation the fact that NI are in talks about shutting their own ports and airports.

And she doesnt know the roads well enough to know, and therefore avoid, where the border checks might be.

It was announced a couple of hours ago that N Ireland isn't shutting it's ports etc, they couldn't come to an agreement on it.

I did a bit of googling after you posted and the BBC were reporting earlier that there would be no border checks. Haven't seen anything in the last few hours though, that might have changed.

So I suppose she's right, she probably can do it even though she shouldn't.

I last saw that the talks were problematic, but how the hell with that work with ROI closing their ports etc? Surely they will HAVE to close their border with the north if they are not doing the same? Otherwise, everyone will just go in via the North and ROI will still get infected by these fucking idiots!

It's baffling.

It's an extremely porous border, if she wanted to she definitely could. What she's proposing is definitely wrong and I hope she doesn't do it but I think Google Maps might see her through it.

Is it actually legal?

I flew home in September when all the clever money was on my mother dying, even though they were not checking in Dublin, I flew into Belfast and my BIL picked me up, because it was the right thing to do and that was the relevant advice.

In my defence she came very close to dying on the Monday (that was bloody scary, went up to say goodbye and she was unresponsive, but did eventually respond) so the visit was well judged, glad I went, as I can't go now. TBH even if the call came now, I would stay away unless someone managed to pull a humanitarian exemption out of the bag.

When I went it was legal, I wouldn't go now, and I can tell you now, if my family were aware of someone doing that, the people hosting them would be treated like social pariahs.

@grassisjeweled

Is it actually legal?

Fairly sure it isnt.....but then again, what does that matter versus "What I want to do"?

Well if course there isn't some kind of trump style wall between NI and Ireland.

I mean the question is. The checkpoints were a massive thing during the troubles.

It's not a neutral question asking 'aren't there checkpoints' it's a very charged question.

If your friend can get to NI with a car then they can probably get through but Ireland has been locking down as well so all in all its a terrible idea.

What's the reason for doing all this?

From a bit of googling I don't think it's actually illegal. If you arrive in Ireland from another country you have to fill out paperwork explaining why you need to be there and I think also where you are staying. But you don't have to fill that out if you arrive from N Ireland, and the word used is 'arrive' not eg 'if you are a resident of N Ireland'. It definitely seems like a loophole ready for exploiting.

'? Surely they will HAVE to close their border with the north if they are not doing the same?'

You need to read up on this and get a clue.

You don't know what you're talking about.

So she will probably get away with it?

I am honestly disgusted that she is considering it, and even more that there is this "loophole" (more of a fucking crater if you ask me) that will allow her to get away with it.

Why does she want to do it? Because she wants to spend Xmas with a certain part of her family over there rather than the family she has over here. I should add that the only reason they are over there is because they went a bit earlier and missed the ban.

They could get back here a lot easier and quicker by flying back before Xmas day, but thats not an option apparently (they want to stay there too). The fact that they could all get stuck there, could get fined blah blah is not a problem as they will all be "fine".

I am honestly disgusted that she is considering it, and even more that there is this "loophole" (more of a fucking crater if you ask me) that will allow her to get away with it.

I don't think it's fair to be disgusted at the loophole. The border between NI and Ireland is not like other borders. It is far too politically charged to just say 'close the border'.

It’s not illegal. It unlikely NI will restrict flights
from mainland Britain to NI. She may get stopped once she is in ROI though at a Garda checkpoint as it’s very likely travel restrictions will be imposed in ROI as soon as Dec 24th - and even if stopped not sure what will happen apart from a ticking off.

How goes she propose to travel from airport ? Public transport may be very limited.

To add the border is 500km and have hundred of crossing points and 1000’s cross between
NI and ROI daily. It is geographically impossible to close the border never mind the political implications of such a move. Your friend is a selfish dick.