Sir, – The article by Stephen Collins is timely (“Dublin must plan for the unpalatable but possible return of a hard border”, Opinion & Analysis, July 1st).
Nothing can be ruled out in relation to present UK government policy toward the NI protocol, hence it is possible that Ireland could, because of illegal action taken by the UK government, be left with the unpalatable choice between trade checks at the border or at Irish ports.
We need to prepare for this possibility now, remote though it may seem.
It is possible that the border checks could in fact be confined to a small number of main roads, with minimal disruption, especially if progress is made in relation to new technologies facilitating this.
Such controls could nonetheless be strongly opposed by a significant majority of people in the North, but it is important to know this and to set it against the objections to similar minimal checks between Britain and the North. And, then, for the UK government to take into account the wishes of all sections of the population in the North.
Remember, when Ireland joined the euro zone without the UK, there were loud objections on the grounds that it would establish a major economic “border” between the South and the North.
When it was realised that the choice was between remaining under British monetary control, using the British currency, or using a European currency, with Ireland represented on the board of the European Central Bank, such political objections receded.
Ireland had made its historic and momentous decision to break from the UK economy in this regard.
Ireland may soon face a similar choice: between remaining an integral part of the EU single market or in effect being part of the UK market and its regulatory framework. – Yours, etc,
JOHN O’HAGAN,
Department of Economics,
Trinity College Dublin,
Dublin 2.