EU border from Dundalk to Derry amid Brexit fears

Fears of an hard border dividing Ireland north and south were raised by Taoiseach Enda Kenny during a meeting with the German Chancellor last week.

As the fall out of Britain’s vote to leave the EU on Ireland continues, Enda Kenny told the German chancellor Angela Merkel that Ireland does not want ‘a European border running from Dundalk to Derry.’

The Irish and German leaders met in Berlin yesterday to discuss the implications of the UK’s vote to leave the European Union.

The discussions focused on the Republic of Ireland’s commitment to EU membership.

‘In Ireland, we very much see our future at the heart of Europe and this view is supported by the vast majority of the population,’ said the Taoiseach.

He highlighted the issues of ‘immediate concern’ for Ireland - the common travel area and the peace process.

‘ The common travel area has been in place since 1922,’ said Mr. Kenny, highlighting fears of a hard border being created.

But Ms. Merkel dismissed any special post-Brexit EU deal for Ireland, saying Irish views will only ‘ be heard as much as every other voice.’

Meanwhile there were alternative suggestions coming from Northern Ireland where a former Ulster Unionist MP said that Ireland should leave the European Union to prevent border towns such as Dundalk from suffering from the impending UK Brexit.

Lord Kilclooney, who is also known as John Taylor, said the Republic would suffer as a result of Britain’s decision to leave the EU.

He made the controversial statement in a letter to a northern newspaper last week saying the Republic should follow the UK’s lead by leaving Europe and reverting ‘ back to the punt or sterling.’

But he added there ‘should be no hard border created between the two jurisdictions in our island.’

‘Living near the border I am in total agreement.’

He highlighted the fears in ‘southern border towns like Dundalk, Monaghan and Letterkenny who will suffer as shoppers pour across the border to take advantage of lower prices due to the depreciation of sterling and the lower rate of VAT in Northern Ireland.’

‘I stated at the meeting (of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly in Dublin) that the UK was now on its way out of the EU and that I fully understood that this would be damaging to the Republic’s economy.

‘I suggested that there was one simple solution, ie just as the Republic felt obliged to join the EEC on the same day as the UK perhaps realism would prevail in two years time and that the Republic would exit the EU on the same day as the UK and that it should also leave the eurozone and revert back to the punt or sterling.’