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4 July 2016 Edition

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It’s time for a Brexit from Ireland

Editorial – Eagarfhocal

The people of the North of Ireland and Scotland are not unaware of the EU’s shortcomings but they voted to remain in the EU. And they (like Scotland) are now being dragged out of the EU because England has more votes and England voted to leave.

THE CRISIS inflicted on the people of Ireland – all Ireland – by the EU referendum and Brexit is the result of the Conservative Party’s schisms and its ‘English civil war’ at Westminster.

Sinn Féin campaigned for a “Remain” vote but that should not be misread as an endorsement of the current EU. 

For decades, Irish republicans have fought for the reform and restructuring of the EU; the decentralising of power; the promotion of national democracy and economic and social justice; and the creation of a 32-county political and economic identity within the EU.

The unaccountable nature of much of the EU bureaucracy, and a decision-making process that is often distant from citizens, is part of the reason for the Brexit vote.

The remorseless imposition of austerity on Greece and others, including Ireland, has also led to anger and frustration at the EU institutions.

The EU status quo cannot continue. The European institutions have had a serious wake-up call and they must take on board the growing disillusionment among voters.

Brexit is bad for Ireland, bad for our people, and bad of our economy.

The people of the North of Ireland and Scotland are not unaware of the EU’s shortcomings but they voted to remain in the EU. And they (like Scotland) are now being dragged out of the EU because England has more votes and England voted to leave.

For the “Leave” champions – the Tory Right, UKIP and the Democratic Unionist Party – English votes trump Irish and Scottish votes.

English votes have overturned the democratic will of the North.

Brexit is the price of the Union.

We now face one part of Ireland being in the EU and the other no longer in the EU.

It does not make social or economic sense. It will cause untold problems and hardship for everyone on this island, the South as well as the North, and future generations.

The DUP must respect the “Remain” vote, which included many voters from the unionist community.

There is an onus on the British Government to respect the vote of the people of the North.  

There is an even greater onus on the Irish Government to respect this vote and to defend and promote this as part of an all-island view of the future

Brexit threatens to undermine the Good Friday Agreement. As equal co-guarantor, the Irish Government must robustly defend the Good Friday Agreement, its political institutions, and cross-Border bodies, ensuring that the equality and human rights elements of the Good Friday Agreement are protected.

We must grasp the opportunity to redesign the constitutional and political future of the island of Ireland and of Europe. 

It’s time for a Brexit from Ireland. 

It’s time for a referendum on Irish reunification. 

It's time for an all-Ireland approach to the EU.

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