Blog: Ireland in a Europe without Britain

The main responsibility in the post-referendum era is to fashion a new agenda for Ireland that goes beyond the immediate but understandable reaction to Britain’s withdrawal from the Union. The task now is to fashion a strategy for ‘life without Britain’.

An Ireland within a Europe without Britain will be a novel situation for this country which will find itself primarily, if not solely, responsible for its own destiny. This is a somewhat chastening prospect given that the choices to be made will define what Ireland is to be throughout the rest of this century; choices such as the degree of involvement in the Eurozone, tax harmonisation, the Schengen Area, collective security, the protection of the Union’s external borders and the management of inward mass migration.

All this ultimately boils down to choices about political solidarity with the other Member States based, as they will have to be, on a dispassionate calculation of what will best advance the national interest.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Brexit: UK-Irish relations http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-uk-irish-relations/

ESO: Background information: Irish Government Brexit Contingency Plans Announced / Government statement on the outcome of the UK EU referendum http://www.europeansources.info/record/irish-government-brexit-contingency-plans-announced-government-statement-on-the-outcome-of-the-uk-eu-referendum/

IIEA: Blog: Tag: Brexit http://www.iiea.com/blogosphere?selectedTag=brexit

IIEA: Brexit Commentary http://www.iiea.com/IIEA-Brexit-Commentary-Microsite/index.html

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