The majority of motorists living in Border areas in Northern Ireland do not think twice about jumping in their car and nipping over to the other side to fill up. Why would they while the strong pound buys them more miles for their money, even though Brexit fears may now threaten sterling's strength?

However, what would happen on a daily basis if that trip involved producing a passport or paying duty on the fuel on the return journey back to Northern Ireland?

It would certainly make motorists think twice – would they go the extra mile to save on fuel costs or would it even be worth the trouble if Northern Ireland was no longer part of the European Union?

According to the North’s Deputy First Minister the impact of Brexit would be “absolutely enormous” on Northern Ireland. Martin McGuinness believes that the practicalities of Brexit when it comes to travelling from North to South could potentially be far-reaching.

Benefits

“All sections of our society have benefited from our EU membership and in the coming weeks and months Sinn Féin will campaign to stay in,” McGuinness said. He is confident that the “majority” of people in the North – such as the Alliance Party who believes Northern Ireland will be stronger as part of the EU – want to continue as part of it.

But that clearly does not include Northern Ireland’s First Minister Arlene Foster or the Secretary of State Theresa Villiers.

The DUP party leader has said her party will recommend a vote to leave the EU because the deal struck by British Prime Minister David Cameron with 27 other states was not enough.

“The DUP has always been Eurosceptic in its outlook. At every stage in this European negotiation process we had hoped to see a fundamental change to our relationship with Europe. In our view we see nothing in this deal that changes our outlook.”

But Foster has also said the DUP believes that the decision on whether the UK should stay or go is “fundamentally not one for parties but for every individual voter”.

Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Theresa Villiers has a clear position saying that “the only way to fix our relationship with the EU is to leave and negotiate a fresh arrangement based on trade and co-operation, without the political obligations that inevitably come with membership”.

This has infuriated both McGuinness and the SDLP leader Colum Eastwood, who also firmly believes Northern Ireland should remain in the EU. Eastwood has told Villiers that she should not attempt to speak on behalf of the North when it comes to the Brexit debate, while McGuinness wants her to resign over her stance.

One of the most powerful voices as the debate kicks off in earnest in the North will be the local business community. According to a poll by the British Chambers of Commerce and Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce 81 per cent of local business people would personally vote to remain in the EU. Just 11 per cent declaring they would vote to leave. This is compared with the rest of the UK where 60 per cent of business people say they would vote to remain and 30 per cent would vote to leave.

‘Stranded’

Stephen McCully, president of Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “For businesspeople this is a question of in or out. Those within Northern Ireland who are firmly wedded to the EU have said that Brexit will leave us stranded within the EU, and coping with the re-emergence of a land border with the Republic of Ireland.”

But he said the other side of the argument suggested that the money the UK could save in EU contributions with a Brexit scenario might potentially deliver a windfall funding package for the North worth in the region of £3 billion.