Wake up to threat of Brexit

COMMUNITIES on the border in Leitrim and Sligo need to wake up to the threat of Brexit says JJ O’Hara one of the founder members of the award winning Border Communities against Brexit.

JJ O Hara spokesperson of the Border Communities against Brexit has warned that Ireland is in danger of “sleep walking” into Brexit that will have repercussions from tourism to the peace process. The newly formed group has been making waves in Europe and recently won the prestigious European Citizens Prize for 2017. The prize is awarded to groups, associations or organisations that have displayed exceptional achievements and/or outstanding commitment. NOMINATED initially by MEP’s Martina Anderson, Matt Carthy, Liadh na Riada, Marian Harkin and Nessa Childers they are set to pick up their award on July 14 th.

THE group were behind a number of successful actions to highlight the risk of Brexit including an action on six points along the border in Autumn 2016 to remind the general public about the restrictions to life when checkpoints were in operation.

O Hara claims that the public need to be aware that life on the border will be changed totally and there wont be single thing that will remain unchanged if a border is reintroduced from house prices, tourism, cattle prices to transporting freight.

“HOUSE prices along the Border will be hit by 30pc to 40pc, he says. Cattle prices have already been hit by around €150 to €200 a head because of Brexit” says O’Hara.

JJ O Hara himself an award winning tourism provider in the region is also concerned about tourism. “The tourism industry, which has made gains in recent years and has been up 26pc in the North last year, and up 14pc along the Border regions will suffer dramatically” he warns. O Hara says