Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

The proposal by the British Government to end the Common Travel Area between Ireland and the UK marks a low point in our relations with our neighbour.  It is a step backwards, politically, diplomatically and historically.

Like many I have family in the UK and have always valued the fact that there was no need for passports between our countries, even at the height of the IRA Terror campaign on the UK mainland.  Now in times of peace and in light of the huge progress made in the North I think this change is a slight to the good relations between our nations.  We should not forget that Ireland and the UK have more in common with each other than we do with any other nation on earth.  

It is more than ironic that as the European Union seeks to build a closer knit Europe, with freedom of travel for all, that the UK is now to place a new obstacle between our two nations.

It is a shame to see this change in our relationship which will do nothing but place a barrier and new bureaucracy between the peoples of these islands.

Yours sincerely

Keith Martin
Councillor WTC

33 Pairc na Coille

Westport

086 0691182