Ireland ‘reaping what it has sown’ over Brexit with influx of migrants

Ireland said the return of border infrastructure would put the peace process at risk and that a Brexit treaty was necessary to protect its place in the EU’s Single Market.

Northern Ireland continues to follow hundreds of EU rules under the agreement, which also gives it lucrative dual access to both the UK and EU markets.

Power-sharing was restored in Northern Ireland after negotiations ended a two-year boycott of Stormont by the DUP over the Irish Sea border.

Hard-line unionists, including the TUV, which has formed an election alliance with Reform UK, fear the deal is a precursor to an attempt to unify Ireland. Sinn Fein has called for a reunification referendum by 2030.

Lord Dodds, the DUP peer, said: “The complaints from Irish politicians ring hollow. At every point in the Brexit drama they never hesitated  to  advance their own interests at the expense of relations with unionists and the UK. Now in true Dublin style they blame others for the consequences of policies they pursued.

“Dublin has been vociferous in advocating a totally open border and has even castigated UK efforts to introduce new travel visa requirements for non Irish citizens wanting to travel from the republic into the UK through N Ireland,” he added, referring to British plans to require a permit from non-Ireland residents.”

Baroness Hoey said: “The Republic of Ireland is a foreign country. It’s a bit rich for them to be complaining about something when they themselves have been the country that has refused to accept that there is a frontier with the United Kingdom and their independent country.

“British taxpayers are paying for the EU single market to be protected. We’re spending all this money and putting up border posts in our own country to protect their Single market, which of course also ultimately is also affecting trade between GB and Northern Ireland,” The Brexiteer peer, who is from Northern Ireland, said.

She added, “Chickens come home to roost, as they say.”

Ireland and the UK are also part of a Common Travel Area that predates both countries’ EU membership.

On March 22, the Irish High Court said a decision by the justice minister to designate the UK as a “safe country” after Brexit was unlawful. It said she exceeded her powers.

Legislation is in the works to remedy this but in the meantime Ireland cannot use a refugee returns deal with the UK.