N Ireland in the cold over Brexit

UNCERTAINTY: FEAR THAT ‘TROUBLES’ MIGHT RETURN

British province wanted to stay in EU, now feel a lack of say in their own future.

– Of all the roadblocks on the way to a Brexit deal, Northern Ireland is the biggest, and nobody feels more unease about the deadlock than the people who actually live in this British province with its troubled history.

Around 56% of people there voted to remain in the EU in the 2016 referendum, in stark contrast to 52% of voters who backed leaving the bloc across Britain as a whole.

After the failure of last Thursday’s EU summit in Brussels to overcome an impasse in negotiations,

Belfast

Northern Ireland’s entire population is suffering from “fatigue, frustration and confusion”, according to local resident Lyn Sheridan.

Fellow resident Jim Wilson, 72, said people are growing impatient ahead of Britain’s planned departure from the bloc next March.

“They’re just fed up with all the talking and they want people to get on with the negotiating and come up with a sensible solution”, the retiree told in Belfast.

European Council President Donald Tusk said that any Brexit divorce deal required resolving issues around Northern Ireland.

And the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, asked if the Irish border question could sink negotiations, replied that “the answer is yes”.

Talks have stalled over how to stop its land frontier with the Republic of Ireland, an EU member, becoming a hard border again.

London believes customs and other checks can be avoided through a new trade agreement with Brussels, but accepts the need for a fallback plan until that deal is agreed.

However, the two sides have so far been unable to settle the terms of this so-called backstop.

“Like a lot of situations like this it involves compromise and a bit of give and take,” said Wilson.

The 500km Irish border was a flashpoint for violence during three decades of “The Troubles”.

It is seen as a key factor in Northern Ireland’s vote in favour of remaining in the EU. Britain and the bloc both say there should be no return to a manned border in any Brexit. –