As far as Ireland is concerned when Brexit is implemented the people and businesses will have to deal with levies, duties and tariffs of all kinds. There is no escaping them. How they are paid is open to speculation but it looks like some kind of hard border will be introduced unless the Dublingovernment takes a firm line with the British and with the other members of the European Union. Southern Ireland will be staying in the EU and will have to charge and pay levies to non -EU countries which now includes the United Kingdom.
The first Minister in Northern Ireland, Arlene Foster, in a recent article in the Guardian (October 24th) claims that the economic and social benefits from being part of the UK are more important than being in the EU. What about the Single Farm Payment? What about access for farmers to the European market, (which includes the south of Ireland) without tariffs? And what does her comment mean in a situation where the purchasing power of any such benefits are dramatically eroded by inflation, as is already happening?
She claims that “..trade with the EU won’t stop when we’re out of it, any more than it does for those who have never been in it..” But is she happy to pay the levies, duties and other requirements imposed on such countries in order to be allowed to trade with the EU? More importantly are businesses in the North happy to do so? That won’t affect her income, but it will affect that of hundreds of thousands of owners and workers in the north of Ireland businesses.
Arlene Foster also states: “There are real and exciting new prospects for the UK outside of the EU”; there may be, but if she considers the economic position of most commonwealth countries, she will not find many there; so where are they? They are not obvious to most business people, even if the Ulster farmers Union have been saying that, though they did not convince all of their members to vote for Brexit. The farmers are shrewder than most Northern politicians.
The current bonanza for shopkeepers in the North will end, when the EU decides on what levies will be imposed on shoppers from the Republic.
As a result of the Brexit vote farmers will discover that over the coming years their incomes will be greatly reduced. Already we see the damage being done to the major agri-food business in recent weeks, which was precipitated by Brexit. There is likely to be more to come.
Notwithstanding what the First Minister says and what an incompetent Theresa May is saying, the Northern Executive will have absolutely no clout in the UK’s negotiations, even if they are represented there, which is less than certain. The needs of the English Conservatives will dictate everything in those negotiations.
The countries with which the EU has its multiple borders all have to meet EU requirements in relation to trade and that involves multiple hurdles. Norway will tell you about that -they do not get a free pass.
Despite what Arlene Foster claims, the North of Ireland cannot get concessions without opening the door to similar concessions for other non-member states and that is just not on the EU’s agenda, nor is it likely to be in the future.
Good article Joe.
I cannot understand why Arlene would favour a Brexit, judging from where she comes from. Im from within her hinterland, shes from about 5 miles out of Clones. Her family frequent their all the time.
I bet she is between a rock and a hard place on this one, Id say personally would rather there was no Brexit, but she has to play to the Belfast hardliners.
Surely she hasn’t forgotten about the turmoil of living within the Roslea area during the troubles? She must know that a return of a border of any kind will ignite the troubles in that area again?
What kind of leader is she, that she cant speak up for peace, surely she knows the North’s economic prosperity is aligned with the South. Her neighbour farmers take their cattle to Clones Mart every Saturday.
The North has to stop thinking of themselves as an integral part of the UK and an economic powerhouse.
still you dont address the main reason for brexit,migrants and refugees.
Billy, that doesnt apply to the North, thats a GB mainland issue. how can you not see that? Its all part of globalisation and 21st century living. Mode of transport is so much easier nowadays.
I could say Monaghan Town is run town with foreigners too (i was in the gym the other day and out of 20 people that were there 11 were foreign). But they contribute to society, they work, pay taxes etc.
Where does it stop when you talk about migrants and refugees? – the plantation of ulster was a clear example of foreigners coming in and taking the land off the natives. Why can’t unionists see that? it wasnt all that long ago.
billy,that doesnt apply to the north,thats a gb mainland issue.the 11 you seen in the gym soon turns into a hundred and eleven when they start sending for all belong to them,thats how it became a gb issue in the first place with whole areas overrun.a points system is the only way to control the problem,bring them in as needed and when the work contracts up they go home.in case you havent noticed we have irish homeless people dying in doorways here 50yrs from city hall.charity begins at home.
Billy, like the system they have in Australia? But sure why didnt they think of this system before enlarge and opening the doors of the EU?. I can remember only as far back as in 1999, the only foreign people in monaghan town was the nurses and doctors in the hospital. If people come to work and pay taxes and contribute to society, i see no problem. Remember economic migrants are estentail for the running of the economy. Sure Germany let 800 K of them in. Our own native population is getting smaller, native families are getting smaller, we need migrants to pay the retirements of the natives. Thats whats Germany does.
our own native population is getting smaller,tell that to the people on the housing list in belfast.
if people come to work and pay taxes and contribute to society,i see no problem…neither did england see the problem when enoch powell warned them what was going to happen,look what happened.
sure germany let 800k of them in…and look how the crime rate soared overnight.
we need to look after irish people first,