Sir, – For the UK to unilaterally leave the Irish Border open and tariff-free after Brexit would be a massive breach of World Trade Organisation rules.
In order for it to happen legally, the UK and the EU would have to negotiate and agree a regional trade agreement among themselves. This would take years, and Britain cannot simply pre-empt it by holding tariffs at zero from the off.
The UK is hoping that the Irish Border deal will be a precedent for the UK as a whole, thus granting to the UK in its entirety the concessions made for the island of Ireland.
This is why the island of Ireland parameters must be settled now or they will be at the bottom of the scrum when it comes to the EU/UK trade deal. Ireland is just a pawn for the Brexiteers. – Yours, etc,
JOHN HYNES,
Greystones,
Co Wicklow.