THE IMPENDING Brexit treaty between Britain and the EU will affect Ireland’s relationship with Britain more than the 1916 Easter Rising and partition, the Irish European Parliament vice president has warned.
Mairead McGuinness said the forthcoming outcome of the Brexit ‘divorce talks’ could shape Ireland’s future as much as the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921.
The Fine Gael MEP said Britain’s plans for the Irish border "are more than the UK wanting to have its cake and eat it, it's an attempt to have its cake and eat ours".
Speaking at the 95th annual Béal na Bláth commemoration of Michael Collins' death, Ms McGuinness added: “If the shape of Brexit is a hard one, then the separation will be more definitive and absolute than anything envisaged by those involved in the foundation of the state."
She argued that “another brick gets placed back in the border wall” every time a British politician urges the British Government to leave the Customs Union.
“The UK has the capacity to stop this unwelcome development by remaining, at the very least, in the Customs Union,” she said.
“Brexit has reopened hardly-healed wounds of division and deepened the polarisation of politics in Northern Ireland.
Big debates in #Macroom thanks to @yfg #futureofeurope #mentalhealth @YouthEPP great to hear all the views, concerns and hopes for tomorrow pic.twitter.com/j2t0Sj8wp1
— Mairead McGuinness (@MaireadMcGMEP) August 19, 2017
“The decision of the British Government to accept the support of the DUP to remain in power has added sharply to that polarisation.
“Michael Collins knew the importance of compromise but he also found out that it’s not achievable if one party sticks rigidly to its position and is not open to the concerns of the other.”
Ms McGuinness said there are some in Ireland who would “use Brexit as a weapon” to reunite the country.
“That is misguided,” she said. “The path to reunification is already set out in the Good Friday Agreement.
“Our challenge is to be as brave as Collins was. We cannot and do not turn our backs on the UK as near neighbours and trading partners.
“But as they choose to retreat behind their borders and go it alone, we remain global as a full, active and engaged member of the EU.”
She added: “Brexit, as profound as it is, must not be allowed to sap all energies and efforts. We need to start looking beyond Brexit to what type of Europe we want to see in the future.”
