Boris Johnson wants to erect a string of customs posts along the Irish border. He even wants to set up a large ’northern clearance site’ to track goods moving back and forth across the Irish border to a ‘southern clearance site’.
These proposals are contained in a series of proposals sent to the EU – which are, bizarrely, known as ‘non-papers’.
The RTE correspondent, Tommy Gorman, was right when, in a shocked voice, he stated that any Irish government that accepted this would be driven out of office. Yet the Irish government is already playing a dangerous game.
They are going along with Juncker’s demand that EU border post be erected on the Southern side. But this only gives Johnson an excuse to erect similar posts on the Northern side.
It is time to break from this softly, softly policy of sheltering behind the EU.
The Dail should issue a call to people living in both the South and the North to embark on a campaign of non-violent civil disobedience to take down as many of customs posts as possible.
Johnson must be told that he will be met with mass popular resistance.
To be consistent, the Irish government should also inform the EU that none of its officials will co-operate in erecting posts.
Given Johnson’s brazen disregard for the feelings of people on this island, there must also be a clear change to tack to advance the only long term solution to all this mess – a border poll that enables the creation of a united Ireland.
