'˜High stakes game' going on over future of border

Anti-Brexit campaigners dressed as customs officers, protest outside Stormont in Belfast recently.

The group’s local spokesman Dermot O’Hara, said that a strong campaign was paramount to resisting any moves towards a hard border bisecting the island of Ireland.

Speaking at the latest in a series of demonstrations , this time outside the Guildhall in Derry, Mr O’Hara thanked all those who were supporting the campaign.

He said: “Our campaign to highlight the plight of border communities will continue, especially since the comments of Michel Barnier in the Oireachtas on Thursday, where he identified the need for the European Union to protect its consumers and their food.

“This puts into sharp focus the very high stakes game going on between London, Dublin and Brussels at the moment.”

Mr. O’Hara said that the campaign to ensure the likely negative impacts of Brexit on local communities is front and centre will continue.

He added: “We, in Border Communities Against Brexit, will continue to highlight the need for the North to achieve special status within the EU to protect our jobs, our communities and our future.

“We cannot contemplate failure as a ‘Hard Border’ will cause economic devastation across the border corridor and in the North.”

Earlier this week, the head of Ireland’s Revenue Commissioners, Liam Irwin, confirmed that under EU law, there would have to be checks on some vehicles carrying goods across the border after Britain leaves the European Union.

The Referendum on EU membership promised by the Conservative government was held across the North, England, Scotland and Wales on June 23, 2016. Overall just over half, 51.9 per cent voted in favour of leaving. However, in both N. Ireland and Scotland a significant majority voted in favour of remaining in the EU.

It is expected that Brexit will happen in 2019.