Should the Irish border be a block to Brexit?

THE EU and Republic of Ireland are trying to frustrate the decision of the Brexit referendum. We already have a currency and economic border. The Good Friday Agreement recognises Northern Ireland as an integral part of the UK. If there is no deal, to maintain the integrity of the EU, the Republic would be responsible for customs checks. This would be on top of losing its main trading partner and the vital, frictionless land bridge to and from Britain, and links to remaining EU nations.

A. CLARKE, Bangor, Co. Down. MAy I suggest a possible solution to the Irish border problem. Cars, taxis and buses should be allowed to cross the border at any point without checks. Small commercial vehicles could cross at any point under licence, with restrictions on what may be carried. Random checks by police would ensure compliance, with large penalties in any case of infringement. Larger vehicles and trucks could cross the border at two customs areas, East-West and North-South, or by sea.

PAUL TATHAM, Maidenhead, Berks.

NORTHERN Irish voters could be given a plebiscite on whether they would prefer the functions of customs and immigration to be relocated in the Irish Sea. If so, our problems would be over.

C. HULBERT, Christchurch, Dorset. My SOLUTION is a separate agreement between the EU, the Republic and UK to create an Anglo-Irish trade area: a single market in our two islands recognising our close relationship and the particular sensitivities.

COLIN BOWER, New Milton, Hants.

THE Irish border in a no-deal situation could be left unregulated by agreement. Otherwise, all trade travelling north across the border could be regulated electronically. How the EU would manage trade coming south over the border is up to them.

TOM FINNEGAN, Castle Donnington, Derbys. ARE there customs posts at every crossing point of the EU’s severalthousand-mile eastern border? N. MacGREGOR, Stoke Gifford, Glos.