by Gareth Cross
A Derry author and journalist has warned of the risks Brexit poses to peace in the North of Ireland.
RTE's Europe Editor Tony Connelly is returning home to the Hollywell Trust on Tuesday November 21st to launch his new book 'Brexit and Ireland: The Dangers, the Opportunities, and the Inside Story of the Irish Response'.
The former St Columb's College pupil is currently employed as Europe Editor for RTE News and Current Affairs based in Brussels, giving him unique insight into the entire Brexit process.
Mr Connelly moved to Derry as a young child and worked as a journalist locally before moving on to the Irish Independent. He has also contributed to Time, Evening Herald and United Press International.
He joined RTE in 1994 and has reported on conflicts from around the world. In 2011 Mr Connelly was appointed the new corporation's Europe Editor.
He explained how his Brexit book came about.
"I was writing a number of blogs for the RTE website on Brexit," said Mr Connelly.
"I was then approached by Penguin to do a book on Brexit. I started in February of this year and it needed to be finished by June so it was a quick turnaround.
"There was so much happening and changing day to day, it takes over your life and can be fairly intense.
Mr Connelly said that people were still coming to terms with the Brexit vote in Brussels and Ireland.
"People are still trying to understand the result," he said.
"Everyone thought the result was going to be a narrow remain vote.
"We're obviously going to see a big impact on Ireland, it's a complex issue and we don't yet know what the collateral damage will be."
He said that being from Derry gave him a unique insight into issues faced by the region due to Brexit.
"It was interesting from the perspective of being from Derry," said Mr Connelly.
"My sister lives in Derry with her kids and Brexit is going to affect them in terms of opportunities and freedom of movement.
"I know people who live in Donegal and work in Derry and they are already being adversely affected, there is a lot of anger and confusion.
"Writing the book led me to reconnect with people who live in the North West and it was interesting. There's a common Brexit thread running through Derry to Donegal to London to Brussels."
Peace process
Mr Connelly said that European Union (EU) funding has played an important role in the peace and reconciliation process in the North.
"When I think about things that benefitted directly I'm reminded of a 'Theatre of Witness' event in the Playhouse a few years ago which was very satisfying.
"Peace funding currently runs until 2020 and there are indications that the EU would be willing to fund another round of payments but it depends on the negotiations.
"Getting regional funding requires all areas to be in the EU and obviously after Brexit that won't be the case."
He said that uncertainty for businesses could affect investment in border regions.
"There is uncertainty for businesses throughout the process," Mr Connelly said.
"They have investment plans and they don't plan for just six months ahead, if they don't know about tariffs and don't know about the relationships between the North and the Republic they can't plan.
"If there's a hard border there will be food checks, and broader psychological effects."
Mr Connelly said the EU leaders in Brussels were acutely aware of problems that would pose.
"There is a real concern surrounding the psychological affects of a hard border in Brussels," he said.
"Affects to the peace process could be felt if the border returns.
"It puts peace and reconciliation at risk, it's a real problem with no Stormont in place.
"The British government are being asked to come up with radical conditions to avoid a hard border and this will anger unionists especially if the North stays in the custom union or an All-Ireland agri-food area is created.
"Unionists will reject anything they see as weakening the union."
Irish lobby
He said that the Irish government was doing what it could to protect the North's interests.
"Although the negotiations are between the EU and the UK the Irish government are lobbying to protect Irish issues.
"I think history will note that they did their best to make sure the Irish side was given importance by the EU.
"Everyone in Brussels knows the big risks of the Irish situation if it is not handled correctly.
"The Irish issue is a big part of negotiations and something the European Chief Negotiator for Brexit Michel Barnier is acutely aware of.
"He was heavily involved in the Irish peace funding and is very familiar with the issues."
Mr Connelly said that the results of Brexit will ultimately depend on the internal struggles of British politics.
"I think the British government have found out Brexit is a lot more complicated and daunting than they realised," he said.
"The Conservatives are currently at war over Europe and it has reached its most intense stage.
"It's hard to know which side will win and we would even end up with a Labour government at some stage of the negotiations," he concluded.
'Brexit and Ireland' by Tony Connelly is available from Penguin Books.
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