As you say its the EU that demands a hard border. It cannot insist non member states build one. After all Trump couldn't convince Mexico. How we police our borders is for us.
you mean that their politicians from 1922 to 1973 made a mess of it
You are aware of course that the EU has announced those very intentions as well as demanding all member states join the Euro (the latter not applying to Ireland admittedly) and just to make sure they get their ways, the Veto that member states heave are going to be even more weakened.
As you say, it is currently outside of Schengen although I suspect was only allowed to opt out because the British were so strongly against it. Our leaving the EU will remove the umbrella that Britain protected Ireland from rules such as Schengen in that Britain would protest or even veto and Ireland although sharing London's concerns said nothing. That way they were seen as "good Europeans". It is however likely that the EU will remove that opt-out from about 2021 (and would have done with us had we remained members)
We had a perfectly good arrangement with Ireland prior to joining the Common Market in 1973. All we need to do is return to status quo ante
My politics are Unionist -Scots now but Ulster in ancestry. We know the South and all its tricks
I care about the majority community in NI. The others I am indifferent to. They have a loyalty to another country that in its near 100 year history has demonstrated on a good number of occasions that it wishes to harm the UK- the current Brexit issue being one of them.
well first the British and then the Americans came to Russia's aid in 1941. May have to do it again
psra is right.The status quo wasn't an option. Had we remained by 2021 we would have had to adopt the Euro, we would have had to accede to Schengen and we would lose the Rebate.
The term "Hard Border" does not exist in the WTA vocabulary. It only requires states to police their borders. How they do it is mainly their concern and variations are permitted. Hence the advice that a digital border is acceptable in WTA terms. Equally so a hard border as you envisage is acceptable as well.
Yes the ROI will get some short-term backing from the EU but the EU will demand its pound of flesh. The funding is likely to be in the form of a loan but more likely the EU will demand that Ireland will accede to Schengen Agreement. And that does mean a Hard Border
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