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AIBU?

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Original poster

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

179 replies

PyongyangKipperbang · 22/12/2020 00:44

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?

OP posts:
LemonTT · 22/12/2020 08:03

There are police patrols on both sides of the border stopping cars going between north and south. These have been in place for some time and although they don’t stop cross border travel it certainly frustrates it. Most people respect the ask not to travel from north to south unless essential.

The prevailing attitude in ROI is very anti this type of thing. They have more or less successfully contained the second wave.

Chances are she will be challenged at the border. Hard to see her being plausible if her number plate gets read. But, If she gets through a neighbour will most likely report it and the police will turn up.

ShoppingBasket · 22/12/2020 08:04

Because technically because of the Brits they are two separate states. There I said it. You got the reaction you have been looking for. The Republican side have wanted to join up for Covid reasons to give an all island approach to the pandemic but they were refused.

partyatthepalace · 22/12/2020 08:04

NI is part of UK so you don’t get asked for proof of destination when you arrive. If she crossed over the back roads then she’d get through fine.

However, public reaction to COVID rule breaking in ROI much stronger than UK (according to colleagues there) - so I wouldn’t if I were her, think she wouldn’t be welcome.

Fbtw · 22/12/2020 08:05

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Alfxn · 22/12/2020 08:05

Closing the airports and ports in the south is a no brainer. It will still send a message which will dissuade some people from travelling. Obviously others will be too selfish to care and exploit the loophole that is northern Ireland anyway, but not everyone will be that selfish.

The Republic can only control the controllables. If it was easy to close all the borders, they would but they are in an impossible position and their hands are tied. It is still better to close what they can rather than fling the doors open.

AllTheDogsIveLovedBefore · 22/12/2020 08:06

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Cyberworrier · 22/12/2020 08:08

Well, for NI to close its borders with the rest of the UK would also be considered very political and problematic, just as much as a hard border on the island of Ireland would be. You probably heard it discussed within Brexit negotiations- the idea of a border in the sea.
I can understand your reasoning, in terms of not letting the virus in, but there will be key workers/ lorries/ essential journeys going between NI and rest of UK and it would be highly political to stop these, if equivalent journeys are still being allowed between Wales and England or Scotland and England for example.
Hope this person doesn’t make the journey in the end.

SilverGlitterBaubles · 22/12/2020 08:10

I would very much like if she could keep her Covid strains to herself and stay where she is thanks very much. Aside from this she really does not want to be in Ireland for a lockdown with restrictions on travel of 5k from your home. Lockdown in Ireland is far harsher than here and even if she does get there she might not get back.

SilverGlitterBaubles · 22/12/2020 08:14

Also agree with PPs that a UK number plate will stick out like a sore thumb and it will not be long before questions are asked either by the Gardai or neighbours.

theDudesmummy · 22/12/2020 08:16

I have heard of a number of people doing or planning to do this and it is appalling many of us in the south. There were cars from all over the Republic waiting to pick people up at Belfast Airport yesterday. Arlene won't close the ports/airport. So we have to rely on people not being selfish dicks...which is not enough to stop some people sadly...

wintertime6 · 22/12/2020 08:17

I thought the advice now is that you have to isolate for 10 days if arriving in NI from GB, so she's have to factor this in too. Definitely a risk that if they get there, they won't be able to get back home, and then they're going to look a bit stupid when they have to explain to friends/work etc that they travelled to ROI in the midst of a travel ban.

theDudesmummy · 22/12/2020 08:19

We moved to Ireland in March and couldn't get rid of our UK number plates soon enough...we did get looks and comments until people in the village got to know our story (that we totally self isolated for two weeks and never intended to return to the UK)

theDudesmummy · 22/12/2020 08:20

Probably an intercontinental travel ban coming back soon anyway, so she would get stuck in whatever county she came to. And the guards do put up roadblocks and check...

theDudesmummy · 22/12/2020 08:21

Not intercontinental! Inter-county!

DHdweller · 22/12/2020 08:22

The Belfast Agreement means that there is no physical border. If she took the country roads it would not just be possible it would be very easy.

Mayorquimby2 · 22/12/2020 08:24

She's right unfortunately
I know of two people who've done this already to get home for Christmas

VenusOfWillendorf · 22/12/2020 08:24

I thought the advice now is that you have to isolate for 10 days if arriving in NI from GB, so she's have to factor this in too.
She is also supposed to quarantine for 14 days in Ireland (or quarantine for 5 days then take a test and get a negative result). As she clearly doesn’t give a shit though, I suspect she is doing none of this.

Mayorquimby2 · 22/12/2020 08:25

They just took the motorway straight to Dublin. No need for back roads or any of that.

Alicesweewonders · 22/12/2020 08:30

I live in the North, right by the border, there was a report of a flight recently getting into NI that was suppose to have 80 passengers but had 160Hmm This was always going to happen if the North was left 'open'.

There have been random border check's of late but honestly she'd have no bother getting across depending on the route, it's not illegal and most know that.

allhappeningatonce · 22/12/2020 08:31

I live on the border and there are no border checks atm. That may change. There was when the south was in strict lockdown but again only on main roads. The attitude in Ireland towards people bringing the virus in is not good right now, if your friend does this, I hope they have no intention of widely mixing or venturing out in public.

RuggerHug · 22/12/2020 08:31

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Nyancat · 22/12/2020 08:34

It's so fucking frustrating that the DUP is yet again putting politics above people's lives. I have heard of so many people flying over from tier 4 areas planning to either stay in NI or travel south.

I live in the north and have so many friends and family who haven't seen loved ones at all this year because, despite us being Irish citizens we have looked not just at our rules in the north but also those in the south and decided to stay away. Also looked at their far superior handling of the pandemic in the south and wished our lot had followed, but again, politics won.
The person doing this is a selfish fucked and just because she can get away with it doesn't mean she should

AllTheDogsIveLovedBefore · 22/12/2020 08:34

Exactly Rugger. We should always have had a one-island approach. The Republic is doing much better - if there was no travel permitted from the UK there would be no need AT ALL to even think about a border between the North and the Republic. It would be stupid and pointless. But thanks to the fuckers in the DUP especially that twisted bigot Foster, we are seeing planeloads of people arriving in Belfast from England.

Booksandwine80 · 22/12/2020 08:34

I hope she tries. And gets stuck there Angry

CatholicKidston · 22/12/2020 08:44

I live in NI, we have loads of planes still landing daily to Belfast airport and many of the people getting off are being collect by cars with Southern registrations. So yes she can do it, lots of people are.