What do people think is most likely to happen with the Irish/UK border?

[coffeclub]

What is the most likely solution?

I have no idea. There is no answer that keeps everyone happy, so I guess the most pertinent question is who will be unhappy and how will that manifest itself.

Is it possible to leave it as it currently?

'Is it possible to leave it as it currently?'

Not if we leave the single market and end freedom of movement.

A return to hostilies, tbh, because the pathetic excuse we have for a government in the UK at present are utterly incapable of anything approaching competence or an understanding of reality.

Not unless the whole of the UK stays within the single market and customs union.

If NI comes out, there will need to be some sort of hard border between Ireland and NI.

If NI stays in and the rest of the UK comes out, there will need to be a border between NI and the rest of the UK.

Neither of these options are palatable to a large portion of the population here. And after years of peace and progress, the old communities are being pitched against each other once again.

Basically, in technical terms, we're fucked.

Didn't think of that, did you Boris?

Considering that a high proportion of David Cameron's government were Oxbridge educated, I'm amazed that they were so lacking in critical thinking.

Or perhaps they just didn't care?

An Oxbridge education is no guarantee of any knowledge of, engagement with, or sensitivity to anything to do with Ireland. Perhaps even makes it less likely. Welcome to colonialism.

Or perhaps they just didn't care?

Bingo!

Remember half the tories and the DUP think that a neat solution would be for Ireland to rejoin the UK and leave the EU at the same time.

I don’t think the pro-Brexiters in government thought through the consequences of this at all. They couldn’t give a feck and they don’t understand anything out with their tiny world and it’s too complex for them.

Unfortunately, I think there are sections of the government who are already making the situation worse, and I wonder if they are trying to push some groups in to wind up extremist to take action to deflect blame on to them instead of where it should be pointed.

I can’t express just how much I hate that Britain has done this to us. As if they haven’t fucked us over enough in the past. And of course it’s the result of that past fucking over that has left us in this position as a result of Brexit. The boot just keeps getting stuck in somehow. And GB just goes “oops, didn’t think of that already fragile pane of glass before I kicked the ball, they better find a way to fix it before I kick the ball again”

It's bewildering that certain sections of the British media and indeed government seem surprised that the Irish government are looking out for Irish interests.

As someone in the Republic, possible not a vocal majority view, but it's being uttered quietly, that we fear a united Ireland.
We don't want either more Sinn Fein or the ulster unionist people in our government, which is what would happen if the 1.5 million Northern Ireland population merged with us.
It would be a horrible, vapid, extremist Dail and not conducive to running a progressing country.
Keep those crazies in the UK parliament!

Considering that a high proportion of David Cameron's government were Oxbridge educated, I'm amazed that they were so lacking in critical thinking.

While happy to call Cameron and his cronies twats, I don't see why they are getting blamed for this.

This is a problem caused by leavers.

I am, genuinely, an expert in this area. Companies pay hundreds of thousands of pounds for my views. I’ve spent years thinking about this. And I can’t come up with a solution. It’s literally the only Brexit area where I can’t find a single answer.

Numbsnet I'm originally from ROI but have been in NI for a decade. I love it here and have no intention of moving back - but I'd agree with you tbh. I think NI could be a big drag on ROI, economically and politically.

(Politically I wouldn't mind a more moderate influence up here though!)

I am angry that the Irish government looks like it's about to collapse so close to the EU meeting, they were the only ones in our corner it seemed. Including the NI politicians!

Like I said, fucked.

humps David Cameron's government are responsible because they called the referendum.

I have been saying for months that the Irish border will become a massive issue.

You can either have a hard Brexit or an open border between Ireland and the UK. You cannot have both.

The British government hasn't got a solution to this problem, because there isn't one. This wasn't thought through before Article 50 was triggered.

There was a woeful lack of thought given to this issue prior to the referendum. I do blame Cameron and his cronies, for being irresponsible enough to hold the referendum in the first place, and I blame the idiots who voted to leave without thinking properly about the consequences.

I cannot see any solution to this problem. If we leave the EU, the peace process in Northern Ireland will be fucked - unless we somehow keep free movement, but the little Englander Brexiteers will never be happy with that.

Agree with humps. The fact that people voted to leave, if it goes pear shaped it's them 100% I blame.

Farage backed DC into a corner and he probably never realised how fucking stupid some people in the UK are.

I think we will just have to call the EU's bluff. No border between ROI and NI after we leave and see if the EU want to erect one. They seem to be the only ones insisting on it.

I don't think there is a solution if Britain actually goes ahead with Brexit.

I'm beginning to think hoping it won't happen though; Britain will Brexit in name, but remain part of the European Customs Union (something that lots of UK politicians seem to think is a good idea). Trouble is, keeping the Customs Union means keeping open movement of people (which the same politicians are trying not to talk about). If that happens it will all stay the same.

If, however, May stays in power (and grows some guts) there will be a hard border, we will go back to the bad old days of border checkpoints and closure of all the minor roads, along with smuggling,
especially petrol and farm related smuggling (remember those poor cattle and sheep who spent their lives crossing borders ).

The Unionists will pretend they are cross about it but will secretly be delighted that there is a border. Sinn Fein will lose their shit and yell at everyone - I wonder will it be enough for them to actually take up their seats in Westminister? The British government will try to blame Europe, and Ireland will (sadly) bear the brunt of the whole Brexit cockup.

Fucks sake, just what we need .

I agree with Numbsnet, by the way.

A united Ireland isn't very attractive atm. Joining 4m Irish with 1.5m+ NIrish would give a very weird Dail. Sinn Fein might end up the largest party (they'd love that, the fuckers), the Unionists would fight everything and hate everyone (whatever about Ireland being backward on women's rights, the unionists are even further back in the dark ages), the single issue idiots would still bleat on about their local Garda Station and being allowed to not wear ties, everyone would be fighting with everyone else and the country would go down the Swanny.

I'm a tad pissed off (in case it wasn't obvious).