Billy Lawless (Independent) | Oireachtas source

As we know these are trying times for our nation and our island. In 28 days' time there is the real prospect that the peace we have all grown accustomed to which took decades or, depending on one's interpretation of history, centuries to resolve could be seriously jeopardised through the event of a no-deal Brexit. The closer we get to yet another EU summit on 17 October, the greater the insecurity our fellow Irishmen and women of every religion and none shall feel north of the Border.

Within the borders of this State, we have rightly spent considerable time focusing on the impact a no-deal Brexit would have on our agrifood sector and the security risks on our island, but not enough on the citizens of Northern Ireland. Thanks to the Good Friday Agreement, every citizen of Northern Ireland can be a citizen of this State and therefore a citizen of the European Union irrespective of what happens in the coming weeks.

However, there is an inevitable social consequence to Northern Ireland being torn away from the European Union against its people's will. While even in the best-case scenario of an orderly Brexit deal, that consequence may only be sensory in that a drive from Dublin to Belfast will become a journey to exit the European Union and yet its citizens remain protected.

Of course, in the current Boris-deal scenario we would have customs checks to navigate on either side of the Border, something that thankfully the Irish Government has roundly rejected. I anticipate the European Union also doing so. No matter what happens, there is a strong likelihood that our two communities, North and South, may drift even further apart. Against this backdrop, an open hand to our friends in the North and overseas, through giving them a say into who is Head of this State and represents this nation, could serve to restore some of those social ties that will be lost through Northern Ireland's departure from the European Union. I hope and, dare I say, I pray our leaders and the leaders of the European Union continue to act as a bulwark against the jingoistic nationalism and contempt for the rule of law we see from the British Government. While I have faith our people will be defended by their leaders in this State and the European Union, it will be up to us to defend our nation and our Northern citizens to ensure they remain part of our Irish community in word and deed. This requires our Northern friends to have a real say on how we move forward as the broad shouldered global community that modern Ireland represents. I hope these ideals will not be forgotten when we finally have the referendum to allow all Irish people the opportunity to vote in presidential elections.