Can we have a NI Brexit thread?

[Burntcustard]

I am ex-NI, now living in London after 20 years away. Having grown up near the border, with memories of nighttime evacuations and and the constant hum of helicopters, I couldn't wait to leave.

I look at the implications of Brexit and I'm worried. May may say that she wants to have no hard border, but how will that be possible with leaving the customs union? The only practical solution I can see to that is to have the border at the ferry ports.

What is the mood over there? Do the DUP still think Brexit is great?

There were customs checks until 1992

So there were, thanks for that.

Say you're a unionist and only hold a British passport. What is going to be required for you to drive down to the republic?

And I mean in terms of paperwork required lol, not what's it going to take for you to cross that damned border!

Yes, but Russia is neither a member of the EEA or Schengen. I agree that the Norwegian/Russian border is sparsely populated, so by definition there will be a limited amount of movement. I just toss it out as an idea of the sort of arrangement which might be copied.

@myoriginal,

A passport I would presume, the same as an ROI EU passport holder going North. But I reckon many so called "Unionists" have already got their Irish passports anyway, just in case.

But I don't think it will matter, unless the Common Travel Area is retained. That ensures free travel between UK and Ireland with just ID required, not a passport (except for Ryanair I think who do require a passport, but just for ID purposes!)

Laughable really isn't it? Making things so complicated for us on the island of Ireland at least.

I take your point Peregrina, but as you say, the Russia/Norway situation is slightly different.

It only applies to those living within 30k of the border and they MUST prove residency of that area for at least three years. There are still ID checks.

I doubt anyone North or South would accept a cut off point of border areas only in order to go up or down freely. Who will decide that? There will be mayhem. That's the dilemma, which is why I said maybe those who want to could apply for exemption on the basis of residency ANYWHERE in ROI or NI and go up and down at leisure. Still need ID or passport checks though.

Horrible to think this kind of thing might have to happen after all the progress made over the years to normalise relations. Quite sad in fact.

So there is going to need to be passport controls at the border then.

Sorry extrabiotin, didn't see your post. I didn't know the details. However, with RoI/NI I think there should be some way of providing FoM. Not that May will bother to think of anything. I don't think she does original, imaginative thoughts.

I would think it would need to apply to the whole of the island, not just the border area.

Horrible to think this kind of thing might have to happen after all the progress made over the years to normalise relations. Quite sad in fact.

I agree, and I am both angry and sad, that a stupidly called Referendum without sufficient checks built into it can have caused so many problems. As you can tell, I am more than angry with May - a more capable politician who did more than gabble empty words would be making a serious attempt to resolve these issues. People's lives have been sacrificed in the past, I hope to God that they are not sacrificed in future, but appeasement of the Tory right wing is all that matters.

Only way I can see passport free travel happening between ROI and NI is on the basis that border controls are only on the mainland UK. Unionists and Loyalists might not like it much, but they may just have to accept it. If they don't, we are back to square one Nationalists v Unionists. That sleeping giant should never be woken up again for the sake of Brexit. I am quite annoyed to think it might if the whole thing is not handled fairly and sensitively.

Customs controls would be needed post Brexit anyway. But hopefully that will only apply to obvious freight travel. Unless it it worthwhile smuggling stuff as an individual post tarriff impositions!

Well said Peregrina, I think the vast majority (re NI/ROI) would agree with you.

The Tories and particularly Theresa May couldn't care less about NI or the special relationship between ROI/NI/UK that was built up over many years of talks and diplomacy.

Not to mention, as you said the loss of many lives along the way on all sides.

I remember the borders as I grew up on the ROI side but my cousins lived 10 miles down the road on he NI side and my dad unfortunately looks a tad like Gerry Adams did then! many a rifle was shoved through the car window on the way to a birthday party until he proved who he was. Would hate to see a return to that and worse. Would also have to change my dentist as they are in the north and would never remember my passport each time!!

Whatever about freedom of movement of people being controlled by UK mainland borders that just leave NI either as a collection point for people trying to access the UK and failing and then they default to ROI or visa versa.

As for goods it's amazing what can get over the border outside of freight Lorries!

Also just to say.....I quite like the Nordie Tayto as a treat and change from the ROI ones!

Also just to say.....I quite like the Nordie Tayto as a treat and change from the ROI ones!

I'm revoking your Irish citizenship TK. Get over that border.

Oh that doesn't work. You are still Irish over the border. I'm revoking your red tayto purchase privileges anyway.

@TKRed.

Quote....Also just to say.....I quite like the Nordie Tayto as a treat and change from the ROI ones!

Now cm'ere to me. That's not allowed so forget it.LOL.

Just shows, isn't it great that we can have a laugh about cross border things now.

Such a pleasant change to times past. I just hope we never ever have go back to those awful days.

Talking about the NI border. My late and great Dad worked in Dublin and Belfast during the Troubles. His stories were amazing and quite frightening and sad too.

But anyway, we lived in ROI and mum would get so excited when he had to go North as the butter was SOOOO much cheaper up there at the time. Yes I am going back a while. So Dad would come home with a boot full of butter for mum. Ah he loved her. But was often stopped at the customs too. They always let him go. Butter wasn't a big deal obviously. There were more important things to worry about at the time. But it was smuggling!

We also had two families of children live with us for a week at a time as a break from the Troubles. God love them, they were traumatised and in need of a good feed. That is no reflection on their family, just the way things were. We are still in contact to this day. We were only kids at the time and it was so exotic to have kids with a strange accent staying with us. It was organised by some Church charity as far as I recall.

Ok ok....hides 6 pack of Nordie Tayto I got at Christmas 😀

I think we smuggled a video recorder once 😀 It was placed under the feet of four Children in the backseat as my Dad knew the Gerry Adams lookey likey thing would distract them 😀 I swear that was it, the one and only time 😄

God the innocence I remember playing spot the rifle bad spot the soldier in the back of the car as if it was yellow car red car etc. Also three bomb scares...obv was oblivious to the seriousness of it all. But Jesus I don't want to go back to that!!!!

I am so interested in NI, and have been following this thread, hope it's OK if I post this.
Northern Ireland's system of government is broken. We must review the Good Friday Agreement
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/18/northern-irelands-system-government-broken-must-review-good/

@woman12345

Interesting article. The GFA was working, but obviously there are tensions in the Assembly at the moment. One side (SF) cannot put up with the intransigence and arrogance of the other side (DUP.) Where will it end? Direct Rule from Westminster is always available but that would be the end of everything that has been achieved up to now.

But at least thankfully, the spat and the upcoming elections are about alleged corruption not terrorism or murder. That's ordinary politics right there. And that is progress.

Be interesting to see if the DUP or SF win enough to be First Minister this time around!

Just realised in my family three of my cousins live in the north and have businesses in the South. Seriously how on earth do they expect to solve this?? They all voted remain but are stuck with the result. They all have Irish passports however so I am imagining a two lane road like at the airports one for "UK passport holders" into Monaghan and another for "Irish passport holders" what a flipping mess

Only solution is Common Travel Area retained and passport controls on the mainland.

The alternatives are just too complex whether or not the Unionists object. I don't think they will when they see how difficult it will be. An appalling vista just the same.

ROI would prefer this option too I reckon, but they have to be very careful and diplomatic about interfering with the workings of another Government.

It is a mess, and frankly not just for North South relations but everywhere in the UK from what I am reading.

Some posters on MN threads think that having to show a passport to travel between RoI and UK(GB) is already the law. It is with Ryanair, but they aren't the Government of either country. They have even stopped little grannies travelling from London to Scotland on their planes because of not being able to produce a passport.

It is with Ryanair,

Do they not accept a photo driving licence any more then?

As Peregrina says, there is NO requirement for Irish passport holders to produce their passports when travelling to anywhere in the UK. A driver's licence for example is sufficient.

However Ryanair have their own rules and require a passport as ID. Nothing to do with the Common Travel Area. Just their rules.

Just to add, under the CTA the same applies to UK citizens travelling to Ireland.