Partial repartition would be a solution

OVER the past few weeks, people in Ireland and Britain enjoyed the glorious sunshine, we cheered the English team in victory and sympathised with them in defeat, the royals were warmly welcomed to Dublin and Killarney, Ireland celebrated its diversity with the largest Gay Pride ever, the very emotional and difficult issue of abortion was dealt with in fairness and balance and the Irish economy enjoyed its largest growth in Europe.

And in Northern Ireland? No government, attacks against police and illegal bonfires. I’ve always thought Irish partition never made any sense. Now I’m not so sure.

While Leo Varadkar’s visit to the Orange Museum was a noble gesture, it was lost on no one that had he wished to join, could not, as he was not a Protestant.

Northern Ireland is the worst-performing economic area of the UK and, despite a preference to stay within the EU, a minority is blackmailing the UK government to make sure it does not.

Rather than talk about reunification, the better solution would be repartition, allowing (mostly) the western part of Northern Ireland and Belfast to join the Republic.

A corridor would have to be agreed to allow movement between Belfast — now a mostly nationalist city — and the Republic. This would bring Belfast into the booming east coast Irish economy.

JERRY BARNES Sacramento, California, USA