Republic is the EU nation that is most at risk from Brexit
Lord King, former Governor of the Bank of England, is right to identify relations between the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom as one of the important issues arising from the challenge of Brexit.
There are two basic facts:
1. The overwhelming majority in Northern Ireland will wish to remain in the UK
and 2. The RoI, more than any other EU nation, will suffer most from Brexit.
Thus the relationship between the RoI and the UK requires re-examination!
There are three alternatives:
1. The RoI rejoins the UK but that is not on the political agenda at present
2. The RoI adopts sterling to replace the euro but the RoI is no longer free to do so;
or 3. The RoI is given a ‘special status’ within the EU.
If its fellow EU nations fail to deliver this then the only alternative for the RoI is to exit the EU – after all realism caused the RoI to join the EEC on the same day as the UK!
Lord Kilclooney, Former MEP Co Armagh