From its beginnings in 1920 the border from Newry to Derry, imposed by the British government, has been a real obstacle in developing an all-Island economy and bringing about more prosperity and more job opportunities for all living on this small island.
The first opportunity that Ireland had to break the British stranglehold was when they joined the then EEC in 1973. Even though the British government joined around the same time this new relationship with a wider market gave the Dublin government an opportunity to break free from total dependence on the British market. It meant that the 26 counties were now entitled to the benefits of belonging to the Common Market. It has been good for the Republic (26cos).Look at the roads. It has also been good for the north especially the farmers who receive farm supplement payments. The EU played an important role in securing the Peace declared in 1998 in the GFA. They invested money in the peace process in programmes for reconciliation, education and economic development.
Brexit, when it is implemented, will change everything on these islands –if we do not resist the British and insist on special status. For us in Ireland it has put the focus once again on ‘the border’ between the six and twenty –six counties that has existed since the British partitioned Ireland in 1920. That border has been a great source of annoyance and inconvenience. We all remember during the war how it was a real source of friction with bad-mannered British soldiers and a cause of great inconvenience for people travelling north and south. It was also a great inconvenience for people along the border who had relatives on each side or whose farms straddled the border. In some places parishes straddled the border. There was a house on the border and when the owner went to bed at night his feet were in the south and his head was in the north. This was and remains an artificial border which should never have existed and which should be abolished rather than strengthened.
England voted to leave the EU along with Wales. Norn Ireland voted to Remain as did Scotland. Clearly the UKwas never more disunited and directionless. Surely it is time for the people in the north and south of Ireland to think of another way forward by insisting on an All-island economy as the only way to achieving any kind of prosperity for the whole island. Think of the advantages in having one Development agency for the whole island rather than two competing or one Tourist Board instead of two. It does not make much sense to have the two parts of such a small island competing for business.
It is estimated that there are 30,000 crossings of the border every day-mostly trade and business. This traffic has increased significantly since the peace process began. Anything that would hinder this like the restoration of checkpoints and barriers would surely undermine and halt the progress that has been made in recent years. It is not surprising that the majority in the north voted to Remain in Europe. It is in their own best interests and in the best interests of furthering the peace process. It is incomprehensible to me that Arlene Foster would opt to leave the EU. She cannot have had the interests of all the people at heart when she advocated a Leave vote.
It is now time to have a conversation about the benefits of an All-Island economy in Ireland –for workers. builders, for farmers and for the Agri-food industry. It is time for the economists and progressive politicians to pursue this goal. Surely this would give hope to our young people, many of whom are contemplating going abroad when they finish their education.
we lock the front doors of our houses at night not because we hate the people outside.but because we love the people inside,same with borders.you and the likes of you moaning now are to blame thinking people were going to put up with all sorts of bogus refugees,criminal gangs ect trooping in and out plundering their towns and cities.you being in denial wont change anything,its happening.
What’s that rant got to do with an all island economy Billy?
Billy has been using Youtube as an educational device. That seldom turns out well.
check the cost to the economy for the upkeep of these,benefits,housing,healtcare,jails,crime,and all the other problems they bring with them and get back to me.
“It is incomprehensible to me that Arlene Foster would opt to leave the EU. She cannot have had the interests of all the people at heart when she advocated a Leave vote.”………… You don’t have to be a genius to figure that Foster and her band of bigots support leaving the EU so as to get border posts back and feel comfortable in their little state. That’s all that’s on their minds.
“We all remember during the war how it was a real source of friction with bad-mannered British soldiers and a cause of great inconvenience for people travelling north and south.”
I didn’t think Joe was old enough to remember the war. Were the Americans bad-mannered too?
“This was and remains an artificial border which should never have existed and which should be abolished rather than strengthened.”
Are all birders not artificial?
Should all borders be abolished?
“Surely it is time for the people in the north and south of Ireland to think of another way forward by insisting on an All-island economy as the only way to achieving any kind of prosperity for the whole island.”
That would involve an all-Ireland state.
“Think of the advantages in having one Development agency for the whole island rather than two competing or one Tourist Board instead of two. It does not make much sense to have the two parts of such a small island competing for business.”
Why not? .Is.competiton not a good thing?
“Are all borders not artificial?”
I know you’re asking this rhetorically, and believe the answer to self-evidently be yes. But the correct answer is: not really.
Most borders exist in response to the prevailing needs and interests of those who live within them. Those needs and interests are not artificial.
Many borders are defined by harsh geographical realities – mountains, great rivers, deserts, or in Ireland’s case (and Britain’s), seas and oceans. These are quite the opposite of artificial boundaries. They couldn’t be more literal.
Of course, SOME borders are artificial. What this means is that far from serving the needs of the people who live within them, they are active IMPEDIMENTS to those needs and those people.
Such borders tend to exist under conditions of unrelenting pressure, perhaps only sustained by external force – and they tend to go away eventually.
This is what people mean when they say the Irish border is “artificial”. The problem with the Irish border is not that it’s a border. It’s that it’s a boot on the throat of Ireland, north and south, sustained only by external force.
“Why not? Is competition not a good thing?”
Often it is, sometimes it’s not. What, you think that competition is INHERENTLY a good thing? Or are you just being really careless with language?
In terms of tourism and investment, we are involved in competition with the rest of the world. Dividing our relatively infinitesimal resources and attempted to gut each other on this tiny island – this kind of competition is not a good thing. It’s damaging for the (much stronger) south, and suicidal for the (much weaker) north.
“Ireland” is a popular brand in the global tourism market. Many parts of the south of Ireland offer a genuinely world-class tourism product. Go and see Killarney in the summer time, if you don’t believe me.
To the extent that it even has a brand in world tourism, “Northern Ireland” is poison, attractive only to those who want to see a freak show.
It’s just practical and sensible to see the benefits in folding the north’s tourism product into brand Ireland, and profoundly self-defeating to do otherwise.
This point about tourism generalises, by the way.
“In terms of tourism and investment, we are involved in competition with the rest of the world. Dividing our relatively infinitesimal resources and attempted to gut each other on this tiny island – this kind of competition is not a good thing. It’s damaging for the (much stronger) south, and suicidal for the (much weaker) north.”
Great that we don’t do it, then.
“”Ireland” is a popular brand in the global tourism market. Many parts of the south of Ireland offer a genuinely world-class tourism product. Go and see Killarney in the summer time, if you don’t believe me. To the extent that it even has a brand in world tourism, “Northern Ireland” is poison, attractive only to those who want to see a freak show. It’s just practical and sensible to see the benefits in folding the north’s tourism product into brand Ireland, and profoundly self-defeating to do otherwise.”
Great that we do that.
“Why not? .Is.competiton not a good thing?”
It is for the buyers. If two shops are cutting one another’s throat to get sales, the shoppers benefit, both shop keepers lose out on margins selling.
If both parts of Ireland compete against one another, we both lose out and the countries we export to will benefit.
I think it is about time we had some economists and government officials as well as local businesses from all over this island involved in a proper debate.
We are so badly informed on just what damage the border is about to inflict on all of our pockets it is getting beyond a joke.
You do realise that even a frictionless border will add paperwork which will put the price up. McDonalds all over Ireland uses cheese from Coleraine cheddar. Not any more they wont.
Stormont is finished, partition is no longer a feasible or tolerable option.
The election in the north will be followed by another in the south shortly after which will result in Sinn Fein being part of the next Dail as well as being the largest nationalist party in the north.
Brexit will be the reality check this island needed to wake us all up to the economic reliance we have on one another across this island.
“It is for the buyers. If two shops are cutting one another’s throat to get sales, the shoppers benefit, both shop keepers lose out on margins selling. If both parts of Ireland compete against one another, we both lose out and the countries we export to will benefit.”
Surely the competition drives companies to be more efficient and therefore more competitive economically. Lower prices for goods being sold leads to higher exports.
“You do realise that even a frictionless border will add paperwork which will put the price up.”
Yes I do. Though presumably the price of goods moving to and from non-EU countries will reduce.