Ian MajorHow can the governments resolve the difficulties caused by the NI Protocol - the inconvenience of delays in food supplies from GB, indeed the outright banning of vegetables and plants that have any soil on them, etc?

Good will would not have allowed these nit-picking customs checks to have arisen - but the EU is more interested in making Brexit difficult for the UK than finding a solution. 

Their insincerity about protecting the Belfast Agreement was demonstrated in their resort to Article 16 in pursuit of controlling the export of vaccines to the UK.

Their action, even though they quickly pulled back from it in the face of protest from all parties in NI and the Irish Government, has hardened the suspicion of Unionists and Loyalists here. They suspect that the Protocol is just in place to edge them further down the road to a United Ireland. Now the customs border checkers have had to be taken off duty, following cases of their personal details being taken by sinister elements.

Come on, Boris and EU - either get the customs checks operating smoothly and minimally, or redo it.

How about fresh thinking on who should be the special case, as NI currently is?

A solution that would benefit both NI and ROI would be to make the whole island of Ireland a special case, like they have done with NI. That is, all goods from GB to anywhere in the island enter without checks.

The duty to ensure the other EU countries are not compromised in trade taxes and standards would be taken up by ROI. Their exports to the rest of the EU would be checked at their ports and airports by ROI/EU officials. Same for exports from NI to the EU (excluding ROI).

A big benefit to both ROI and NI. A worthwhile 'all-Ireland' venture.

Ian Major grew up a heathen Protestant, was converted at 17. He lives out his Evangelical faith as a Baptist.  

A Worthwhile 'All-Ireland' Venture

Ian MajorHow can the governments resolve the difficulties caused by the NI Protocol - the inconvenience of delays in food supplies from GB, indeed the outright banning of vegetables and plants that have any soil on them, etc?

Good will would not have allowed these nit-picking customs checks to have arisen - but the EU is more interested in making Brexit difficult for the UK than finding a solution. 

Their insincerity about protecting the Belfast Agreement was demonstrated in their resort to Article 16 in pursuit of controlling the export of vaccines to the UK.

Their action, even though they quickly pulled back from it in the face of protest from all parties in NI and the Irish Government, has hardened the suspicion of Unionists and Loyalists here. They suspect that the Protocol is just in place to edge them further down the road to a United Ireland. Now the customs border checkers have had to be taken off duty, following cases of their personal details being taken by sinister elements.

Come on, Boris and EU - either get the customs checks operating smoothly and minimally, or redo it.

How about fresh thinking on who should be the special case, as NI currently is?

A solution that would benefit both NI and ROI would be to make the whole island of Ireland a special case, like they have done with NI. That is, all goods from GB to anywhere in the island enter without checks.

The duty to ensure the other EU countries are not compromised in trade taxes and standards would be taken up by ROI. Their exports to the rest of the EU would be checked at their ports and airports by ROI/EU officials. Same for exports from NI to the EU (excluding ROI).

A big benefit to both ROI and NI. A worthwhile 'all-Ireland' venture.

Ian Major grew up a heathen Protestant, was converted at 17. He lives out his Evangelical faith as a Baptist.  

4 comments:

  1. Wolfie

    I understand and respect the sentiment behind your commentary
    Alas its all Bob Hope stuff

    The economy of the Free State is dependent on Foreign Direct Investment
    Pharmaceuticals, European HQ's for social media giants and so forth
    FDI depends on EU membership and on the Free State being first and fore mostly good Europeans
    Being good Europeans requires this state to be a team player
    And as such it will be discouraged from putting individual needs before that of the collective. Merkel and Macron just won't wear it.

    Global manufacturing companies won't tolerate impediments to free access to the European market. Forget your idea of this state policing exports into the Eurozone. It's snot and its not going to happen.

    Political Unionism has become abandoned ... it's nobody's child and is destined to remain so

    Next time you're in the west look me up (AM is free to disclose my number to you)
    I'll take you for a drive around the western lakes, the Corrib and Lough Mask ... through Headford, up to Ballinrobe and round by Tourmakeady
    And if you're up to it we'll stop at the roofless churches in each of the forementioned, the standing walls of former Church of Irelands' now deconsecrated, now abandoned and now fully exposed to the elements

    And when we return to Galway I'll bring you by the mosque
    And let you ponder all of that


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    1. Henry JoY

      Yes, I appreciate how entangled in the EU the Republic is, and the globalist disapproval of Brexit. My suggestion is just a reasonable compromise to our present problems, problems that unaddressed may lead to a total breakdown of political institutions in NI. Depends how much aggravation the UK, ROI and EU are willing to face rather than amicably settle.

      Thanks for the invite. When this Covid war is over, I'll gladly meet up with you when I'm down there. I hope to meet with Anthony first, however!

      Empty church building are no big regret with me. Most of them were without the gospel long before they closed. The encouraging thing is to see the gospel churches continue or spring up in many parts of the Republic. I've worshipped with the believers in Limerick, Roscommon, Dublin and Dundalk. Many more gospel churches in ROI now than when I first ventured south in the 60s. ��




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  2. HJ,

    Next time you're in the west look me up (AM is free to disclose my number to you) .I'll take you for a drive around the western lakes, the Corrib and Lough Mask ... through Headford, up to Ballinrobe and round by Tourmakeady

    Hypothetical question (I will take that on board)...assuming Wolfie gets in touch with Anthony and asks for your contact details etc and takes you up on your offer, how does that fit into your narrative about respecting the lockdown rules?

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  3. HJ,

    Wolfie answered my question. Although I can't see it happening anytime soon, unless he breaks the rules ( Wolfie are you brave enough?)

    Thanks for the invite. When this Covid war is over, I'll gladly meet up with you when I'm down there. I hope to meet with Anthony first, however!

    ReplyDelete