Northern Ireland and the Border with Eire

Ireland with Eire in green, NI in grey

There were three critical topics on the agenda for the EU/UK negotiations last week. One of them was probably the most difficult in the whole negotiations.  To my knowledge nobody has come up with a perfect solution.  That is what to do about the land border between Eire and Northern Ireland, which will be the only land border between the UK and the EU if the UK leaves.

Talks about the border faltered on a couple of issues, but most importantly that the Good Friday Peace agreement requires an open border between the two parts of Ireland. But that would leave it possible for any EU national to get into Eire and just cross the border into Northern Ireland.  And from there to mainland UK. Likewise anybody else who has legitimately got into Eire could, as today, make their way to mainland UK.

There will need to be some 'give' in the discussions. That cannot risk the Good Friday Agreement.

It is a very complex situation, with many more issues at stake than just the border.  But it strikes me that the 'least worst' option is to keep the land border open, and move passport control into mainland UK at sea ports and airports.  People with UK passports go straight through.  EU nationals and other foreigners would be treated the same way at ports such as Liverpool Birkenhead from Belfast as they would at Dover.

Other rights and obligations between Eire and Northern Ireland would hopefully remain unaffected.  But the devil's in the detail, and I certainly don't profess to be an expert.

Schengen countires.in blue

The significance is not only if the UK leaves. The border is relevant to any other potential configuration of European countries.  Eire is part of the Eurozone, and as such has signed up for greater federal integration.

Eire is not part of the Schengen agreement, where countries on the continent have no border controls or checkpoints with their neighbours.  Even Norway that is not in the EU has no border controls with Sweden.  Eire does have border controls, at its seaports and airports, much like the UK does currently.


The land border will continue to be an issue in any trans-European agreement.  The border tail will continue to wag the European dog. That is unless Eire decides to also leave the EU and in some way join up with the UK.   Given the history between the two countries, that is extremely unlikely.  But stranger things have happened.  Just don't hold your breath!