Jane Morrice: We should re-convene Civic Forum to chart a post Brexit path for Northern Ireland

If so, those of us who campaigned long and hard to prevent such a potentially disastrous exodus should not blame the Brexiteers. They were promised a better life for their country and families outside the EU, tempted by millions extra for the NHS and guaranteed an end to foreign interference in their lives so why would they not vote for Brexit?

Instead, we should focus on our own future and ask the people of Northern Ireland what they want to do next by reconvening the NI Civic Forum.

By the time the reality of UK withdrawal kicks in, we will know better if these promises are proved false and Great Britain wakes up to discover what it could become in the aftermath of Brexit.

Alone in the world seeking new trading partners in far off places, the UK could see the eventual break up of its own Union, as two of its four nations search to win back old friends and forge separate futures.

UK citizens, including young people and pensioners could find there are no sunlit uplands beyond Brexit as their European rights to live, love and learn in some of the most beautiful places in the world are stripped without ceremony. The Spanish Costas and Erasmus student exchange will become past places of refuge from the hum-drum of daily life in rural villages and cities throughout the U.K. Even holidaying on ‘le continent’ could become more difficult with the possible introduction of visas, the removal of the EU health card and longer queues at EU borders.

This is not even to mention the so-called ‘special’ status of Northern Ireland and the potential need for East-West border checks as well as travel insurance, new driving licences and mobile roaming charges when travelling North-South.

Our fisheries will also have to cope with the possibility of reduced access to EU markets and how to agree access to fish stocks in Carlingford Lough, Lough Foyle, the Irish Sea and, not to forget, around Rockall.

Northern Ireland is the largest beneficiary of EU funding in the UK but the famous EU flag signalling project funding will disappear from our roads, rail and ports and our grass-roots community groups will have to compete with major organisations to retain the much-needed support they believed would last as long as required.

Our farmers will also pay the price when they are no longer guaranteed over half their revenue from the EU’s largest fund — the CAP. Only EU Peace and cross-border funding will continue in Northern Ireland, thanks to the understanding of those in Brussels of the need to protect our peace process.

Workers will no longer be guaranteed protection of their rights, shorter working weeks, paternity/maternity leave and other rights hard-won by them and their comrades across the English Channel and consumers may no longer be guaranteed cheaper imports and protection from dodgy children’s toys and chlorinated chicken.

Instead, we will have to campaign to maintain the benefits we took for granted as members of the EU. With the Conservatives in power for possibly ten years, that could be an uphill struggle.

Foreign’ workers will also become few and far between and we could be left to pick our own crops, treat our own patients and care for our own elderly without their help. We may have more jobs but are we prepared to do the work and pay the price?

The only other solution could be to find out what NI citizens want to do and, under the Good Friday Agreement, that could be easier than we might think.

All we need to do is reconvene the Northern Ireland Civic Forum and, as was done with Citizens Assemblies in the South, ask the people for the answer to one simple question: should Northern Ireland rejoin the EU or not and, if so, as part of the United Kingdom or as part of a new federated Ireland.

It could take more than a year to find out but, by that time, Scotland may already be leading the way and the people of Northern Ireland will certainly know what is best for them.

• Jane Morrice is ex head of the European Commission Office in Northern Ireland and a former MLA