Sir, – The word Brexit means the exit of Britain from the EU. Northern Ireland is not mentioned. In a way, this is very strange, because almost immediately the difficulty regarding Northern Ireland’s recent history with the Belfast peace agreement and the necessary seamless border with the Republic of Ireland has become a major obstacle and brought about the backstop so hated by Britain.
This difficulty did not exist while Northern Ireland was in the EU and the only border between us was an EU internal border.
The UK referendum on Brexit showed that a majority in Northern Ireland wanted to remain in the EU. A further majority in Northern Ireland does not want to be united with the Republic of Ireland and be ruled from Dublin.
How could everybody be given what they want and avoid what they don’t want?
If Northern Ireland became a free state, like we were 100 years ago, it could remain in the EU and permanently avoid being ruled from Dublin. There would be an invisible border between north and south and there would be no need for a backstop. Happiness all around!
But what about internecine strife within Northern Ireland? The first thing that would need to happen is that Northern Ireland should adopt a new internal constitution on how Northern Ireland is ruled internally to manage to two nationalities there. Belgium has such a constitution to cater for the Catholic and Protestant, French and Dutch cultures there. Northern Ireland would need a similar internal constitution. Then we could look forward to peace in our fair land. – Yours, etc,
PETER KAVANAGH,
Malahide, Co Dublin.