The Republic isn’t playing politics — it’s concerned for the thousands who cross the border every day

REGARDING the letter from David Hennessy (‘Do politicians in Republic not realise that a border already exists between Ireland and Great Britain?’, November 28) — of course politicians in Ireland are well aware that there is a border between Ireland and Great Britain — that is not what is in contention.

It is the ease of movement of people and goods that currently exists, and any hardening or disruption of that seamless movement, that is under discussion.

The land border is more than 300 miles long with 275 crossing points. Some 30,000 people cross the border daily, in both directions, for work.

Many concession roads have multiple crossing points, meaning a journey of half an hour could involve a person crossing the border several times.

Currently, with similar regulations in both jurisdictions, this is not a problem. However, when the UK leaves the EU, there could be a change in regulations by both sides — that’s where the problemarises.

If the UK also leaves the common travel area (CTA), it will mean that people like me, who cross the border daily to visit parents and people who work on both sides of the divide, will have to stop for passport checks.

The cost of manning the border, never mind the delays, will add extra stress to the lives of people who cross freely each day.

That’s why the Irish government is advocating that either the UK stays in the customs union and CTA or moves its border controls to places such as Larne or Cairnryan, where facilities already exist.

It is not to “show that they are good little Europeans” that the Irish government is pushing this line, but to limit the disruption to the lives of the thousands of people that cross the border daily.

M RUSSELL Dundalk