Virtual reality border planned after Brexit
FEARS over a hard border re-emerging after Brexit were eased this week after the British government ruled out checkpoints in favour of a digitally controlled border.
A crucial development in the debate over the border, it was confirmed by Britain’s Brexit chief David Davis last week, when he revealed the UK are planning to ‘adopt technology’ to cover the movement of goods between Northern Ireland and the Republic instead of setting up any border posts.
He made the revelation to the Westminster scrutiny committee about the future of the UK’s only land frontier with an EU state.
The British minister said ‘It is not going to be easy, it is going to cost us money, a lot of work on technology, to put border controls in but without having border posts - but that is what we intend to do.’
He added: ‘I am confident that actually the two nations and the (European) Commission between them will be able to solve this because we really want to, because the technology is better than it was 20 years ago and because we all understand the value of it.
We are not going to do anything which jeopardises the peace process.’
The Brexit Secretary also acknowledged excise duty differences on goods moving between north and south were already dealt with in a ‘subtle’ fashion.
Meanwhile Louth TD Declan Breathnach has accused the British government of ‘playing a high stakes poker game’ with the EU over Brexit, adding ‘You can’t sit on two chairs with one butt!’
He said that the triggering of Article 50, which will officially mark the beginning of Britain’s exit from the European Union will lead to a ‘great deal of uncertainty, not least over the border between the Republic and Northern Ireland.
‘Plans have to be decided for the operation of the border between the UK and the EU,’ said Deputy Breathnach.
‘Ireland’s position is different to that of Cyprus or Gibraltar because we have the Good Friday Agreement where the rights of EU citizens are enshrined in relation to freedom of movement of people and goods. Ireland’s uniqueness in this regard is set in stone.’
The Louth TD added: ‘What they are saying in Europe is that political solutions should be found first and practical solutions found within that.
Ireland is unique and every effort should be made to find a solution that will not be a regressive and retrograde step. We need to avoid any damage being caused to either the fragile peace achieved to date or the economic progress that has accrued to our Island as a result of our EU membership, particularly now in light of Brexit.’