Dr. Anthony Soares:

Since its inception, the Centre for Cross Border Studies has promoted, advocated and supported cross-Border co-operation. One reason we have done that pertains to cases in which cross-Border co-operation, initiatives and interventions actually help us in terms of sharing resources. They therefore are of economic benefit through such sharing of resources, reduction of costs and becoming more efficient. However, in terms of a blanket agreement that it is always good, we need to be very careful. Earlier, Mr. Sheridan referred to citizens and a certain amount of disaffection among those in the UK as a whole and in Northern Ireland who did not see EU membership as having been of benefit to them. One reason that may have happened is because they have not given active agreement to certain initiatives. Giving a blanket agreement that this is always good or that cross-Border co-operation is always good and therefore somehow people must always agree to it, is potentially a negative approach. We need to have citizens' agreement and participation in those types of initiatives rather than something that is seen as being imposed on them. If they are not actively participating and are not actively involved in the design of programmes and projects, then they see themselves as being outsiders and being relegated and marginalised. I am wary of blanket agreements. I want to see citizens from both jurisdictions, particularly from Border counties, being involved right from the outset in any of those proposals or initiatives because that will buy them in and then they will not think they are being involved in something they have not bought into.

I have been working with community groups along the Border from both sides. Some community groups from some sections in society see economic cross-Border co-operation in generally positive terms but cross-Border co-operation generally is seen as part of a political project into which they are not buying and therefore they are reluctant to get involved in some cross-Border co-operation initiatives. We must involve citizens from the start.