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Arguably the greatest stumbling block to a Brexit deal between UK and EU is the border between Northern Ireland (UK) and Eire (the Republic of Ireland), which will remain part of the EU after Brexit. At the moment driving south across the border the only reason you know you’re in Eire is that signs are in Irish as well as English. But that may change if the EU gets its way. If Britain leaves the customs union as part of the Brexit deal, a hard border will be demanded by EU officials. The result of this is uncertain, but there is a good chance it will increase security risks and almost certainly aid those engaged in smuggling.
The border between Northern Ireland and Eire is over 300 miles and is currently not enforced at all. Even during the height of the Troubles it couldn’t be sealed completely, as in some places farms straddled the border.
A gas station located 200 yards across the border in Eire used to receive seven tankers a day of fuel as savvy shoppers rushed across to fill up their tanks. The Euro was low and tax rates were lower in the south of Ireland. Then as tax and exchange rates moved, the trade went the other way with trips up north for weekly shopping.
The illegal cross border trade is mostly controlled by paramilitary gangs, trading in alcohol, cigarettes, fuel, and much besides, in the process fueling violence and intimidation. The UK government recently put $150 million in a joint police cross-border task force — to crack down on these gangs.
But with a hard border vast increases in this budget will be required. Smugglers are licking their lips and hoping for a hard border; citizens of both the South and the North are praying that this doesn’t happen.
Michael Walker is a commercial pilot who was born in Northern Ireland.
Smugglers are licking their lips and hoping for a hard border; citizens of both the South and the North are praying that this doesn’t happen.
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