A British departure would have major consequences for Ireland, both North and South

From an Irish perspective it matters hugely that the UK not only votes to remain in the EU but that it does so after a clearly decisive vote, argues one of the participants of the LSE Commission of the Future of Britain in Europe Paul Gillespie. He insists the run-up to the referendum should be marked by a well-informed debate about the European as well as the British issues involved. Ireland is the EU member-state most exposed to the consequences of a Brexit decision. It has the only land border with the UK and probably the highest level of interdependence with it. A British departure would have major consequences for Ireland North and South across all these dimensions, concludes Gillespie as part of his response to Kevin Featherstone’s article.