Sir, – Lord Kilclooney's unhappiness with the prospect of the re-emergence of a hard border on this island is evident (February 13th). He proposes that Ireland should follow the UK out the exit door. His position is misguided.
Following the UK into the EEC made good sense. The UK had been our principal trading partner since the foundation of the state, placing Ireland’s economy at the mercy of British tariffs (and destroying our economy twice in 50 years). Community rules precluded further British protectionism, but also had the side-effect of diversifying Irish trade, to the extent that we now export a far greater volume to the rest of the EU than to the UK. Full economic independence was our reward for our engagement with Europe, while structural funds and development opportunities have radically transformed the country.
Following the UK out of the EU would be folly. To place ourselves once again at the mercy of a benevolent, borderless, British vision of the future would represent a failure to learn from our own history.
Nonetheless, it is true that a hard border may have a variety of consequences. With Northern Irish farmers likely to lose half their income through lost EU subsidies, and with heavy tariffs on UK exports likely to be imposed under World Trade Organisation rules, while British businesses flee to Dublin, many up North may begin to ask themselves whether Ulster unionism or European unionism makes more sense for the future of the six counties.
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Brexit means Brexit? It may mean more besides. – Yours, etc,
Prof CIARÁN BURKE,
Chair of International Law,
Friedrich Schiller
Universität,
Jena,Germany.
Sir, – Although our voice in Europe is small, it is real, and we enjoy the same rights as other member states within the institutions. Lord Kilclooney’s proposal would reduce us to supplicants to London, a capital that is turning away from international co-operation. – Yours, etc,
GAV ROCHE,
Ballina,
Co Mayo.
Sir, Northern Secretary James Brokenshire should read his government’s Brexit White Paper more closely. He’ll struggle to find any reference in it to the possibility of “associate membership of a customs union with the European Union” (“Brokenshire says North will not have a special Brexit status,” February 15th). The idea, floated by Theresa May in her Lancaster House speech, never made it into the White Paper. – Yours, etc,
DAVID PHINNEMORE,
Professor
of European Politics,
Queen’s University Belfast.