Brexit has rolled back years of NI progress

IT could be argued that the Anglo-Irish Agreement was the real game-changer in the 30-year civil war in Ulster known euphemistically as the Troubles. It was undoubtedly the catalyst leading to the Good Friday Agreement. Indeed, prior to it, the dynamics of the conflict were self-perpetuating.

Per the ‘Orange state’ thesis, republicans argued that Northern Ireland was an artificially created state, with an arbitrary border and could not be reformed due to the inbuilt unionist veto.

Conversely, hardline unionists believed that republicans could not be placated by any political reform short of a united Ireland and consequently they had to be militarily defeated. Constitutional nationalists, who peacefully pursued an equality agenda, were tarred with the same brush.

The Anglo-Irish Agreement wrong-footed both parties to the conflict in that it sidelined the constitutional issue, clearly demonstrated to unionists that they did not have a veto on progress within the province and offered nationalists tangible parity for their aspirations.

However, the Brexit referendum result has cast a baleful shadow over this precarious and hard-won equilibrium. The DUP was emboldened by this pyrrhic victory and their subsequent electoral pact with the Conservatives. In contrast, the mood of grassroots republicans became ugly, given the prospect of the re-emergence of a hard border.

The UK Government treated this aspect of Brexit with almost criminal neglect.

Both sovereign governments support maintaining an open border and wish to avoid a return to land boundary checks. They could continue to trade freely under the customs union compromise. It would largely obviate the travel and trade problems created by Brexit. Indeed, it is a suitable model to cover trade within the British Isles.

It would simultaneously remove the north-south land border opposed by nationalists and the east-west sea border opposed by unionists.

GEORGE WORKMAN Mornington, Co Meath