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?

That's the problem- the point is we are all living in a polite fiction that there is no border between North and South. That's what the the Good Friday Agreement meant to the ordinary person.

Polite fiction means we can all believe what we want to believe, and align ourselves with who we want to align with and everybody politely refrains from mentioning it. The border is a line on a map but as long as everybody gets on it's just a formality unconnected with the business of daily living.

The Good Friday Agreement held firm for 20 years and saved countless lives. But with Brexit and Civid the border where politics butts against politics. The DUP got their billion pound bung from the Tories so cant blow their nose without Westminster say so.

Neither Martin nor Foster want to be the one to bring back checkpoints.

I would like to point out that she isnt my friend, just someone I know.

I agree that she is a selfish dick.

I think I was just hoping that someone would tell me that she will get turned back and/or get a massive fine. But it looks like the fucking arsehole will get away with it.

If she knows the way without using main roads then she probably has a chance.

What a shame. It sounds like she is determined in this plan so I suppose there's not much you can do to dissuade her.

I dont think she does know the way without the main roads, but.....still sounds like it will go her way.

Yeah probably tbh.

Sorry if you felt got at.

But fuck it all to blazing fires, this fucking situation.

Ireland is heading for further restrictions as early
as the Dec 24th, Ireland will be for all intents purposes closed - and if she is staying with family will be flouting the restrictions for max households so that aspect of it will be against guidelines. She really be better staying where she is.

@NoddyMcPintsAlot

Ireland is heading for further restrictions as early as the Dec 24th, Ireland will be for all intents purposes closed - and if she is staying with family will be flouting the restrictions for max households so that aspect of it will be against guidelines. She really be better staying where she is.

But chances are, she will get away with it, right?

Not going is apparently, not an option.

Come on OP

Where do you live? How old are you?

'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.'

You think it's outrageous there isn't, what, some kind of physical barrier between NI and Ireland?

I've posted upthread to point out that there is, erm, some history there.

But you say you're shocked the (massive) border can't be closed (read some history).

I'd be interested in understanding more about

Why you think it's awful there's not a physical border across the island of Ireland

And

Why one person who isn't even a friend is giving you details of this utterly dodgy plan

Well technically she is not getting away with anything as it’s not illegal. She and her family could come under a lot of abuse though should any locals find out she travelled here this week.

@NiceGerbil

I am well aware of the history thank you, but what I dont get is why ROI made such a huge fuss about locking the front door when they have left the back door swinging wide open to all and sundry. All it takes is to change destination from Dublin to Belfast for anyone from England to get to the south, so what was the point in closing the South to flights and ferries?

[quote PyongyangKipperbang]@NiceGerbil

I am well aware of the history thank you, but what I dont get is why ROI made such a huge fuss about locking the front door when they have left the back door swinging wide open to all and sundry. All it takes is to change destination from Dublin to Belfast for anyone from England to get to the south, so what was the point in closing the South to flights and ferries?[/quote]
Because it's not possible. If you want to close the border, you have to build physical barricades across the back roads like they did 50 years ago.

You can stick a checkpoint on the A1 if you want, but people will just divert and drive across somewhere else. There aren't enough police in Ireland and Northern Ireland, to close the border.

You're misunderstanding me.

I get why the N/S border can't be closed. What I dont get is why ROI have made such a song and dance about stopping flights and ferries when all that a person needs to do is go in via the North. Its not going to stop people going into the South but it is going to stop them being able to keep checks on who is coming in, where they are going, why, for how long etc and making sure that self isolation is being observed.

Seems to me that closing their ports while the back door is wide open is actually more risky than keeping the ports open and doing more security checks.

According to Arlene, anyone in a Tier 4 area is unable to leave it and will therefore not be going to NI. Therefore no restriction on travel to NI is necessary. Despite Sinn Fein pointing to a flight from London was supposed to land in Northern Ireland with 80 passengers on board but there were 160 instead.

I have never been in favour of a United Ireland, but the DUPs appalling handling of the pandemic in NI, and putting ideology over people’s lives is changing my mind.

Well if her car has a U.K. Reg she will be easily Identified as by that when driving in the south
They may not bother to stop her but they might

@im5050

Thats a good point......

the fact that you don’t get the history properly is really offensive.

The reason the border will be mostly ,open is called the Good Friday Agreement.

I don't think they've made a song and a dance, they've just done what loads of other countries have done. But unlike other countries, they're stuck with a land border that they can't close. They've done the best that they can.

Seems to me that closing their ports while the back door is wide open is actually more risky than keeping the ports open and doing more security checks.
You are assuming they were actually doing security checks in the first place. They are not, they just advise to self isolate and request your location. There are no further checks. Which is the case in most European countries. Preventing entry is all they have capacity for. They can’t control what NI does or does not do.

Because the ROI politicians know that they can control the airports and ports in the country but also know that attempting to do anything to control the border with NI could cause civil war! Surely covid isn't enough of a reason to cause civil war in Ireland - or do you think otherwise OP?

Perfect possible. In
Unlikely to be border checks and even if main border points were checking there must be a thousand other possible routes across.

I assume you can read?

Therefore you will see that I wrote that I dont understand why the South bothered to close their ports while the North has kept theirs open. When I posted, whether the North would close its ports had not been announced.

That was to @Fbtw

You are so breathtakingly offensive.

ROI is not the name of the country by the way.

The reason the border will be mostly ,open is called the Good Friday Agreement.

Yup. And, in fairness, that's the same reason the DUP are reluctant to stop travel between GB and NI.