The situation in Northern Ireland
Those of you who have read my articles or who used to listen to my weekly radio programme on Express FM will be aware that I have been raising awareness to the impact of BREXIT on the Irish Border, “Good Friday Agreement” and the peace process in Northern Ireland since before the 2016 referendum. This article was written by a young man brought up in Northern Ireland and born when the troubles were still fresh in people’s minds.
??????????????????????????????????ARTICLE BY MICHAEL LYNCH
My name is Michael Lynch and I’ve lived in Northern Ireland my whole life. I was two when the?Good Friday Agreement was signed and as someone who cares about the place I’m from and wants to make it better, it is so very apparent the footprint that this Agreement has left on our society.??
Today?marks 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement?was?signed.?
Because of that agreement, today in Northern Ireland people like me are choosing to stay in Belfast to work and study, regeneration is at an all-time high and tourism is booming.?The events that defined my country when I was born no longer do, because of the commitment to peace over the last quarter century.??
However, since Brexit, the future of Northern Ireland has been jeopardised. There is a fundamental truth that Brexiters have never been willing to acknowledge -?the Good Friday Agreement and Brexit are not compatible.?The terms of the Good Friday Agreement commit to avoiding a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which is rightfully seen as crucial for maintaining peace and stability.?Something that was ignored during the Brexit debate.??
For well over a year?Stormont has remained empty?because the UK voted to leave the European Union and young people in Northern Ireland are worried that this instability will mean that stories,?they were told by their parents during times of instability?could repeat themselves.??
We need to make sure this risk gets talked about.?Northern Ireland?mustn’t?be forgotten, and our hard-won peace should never be taken?for granted.?
Will you help me?make sure the perspective of?young people in Northern Ireland?is heard?by?watching and?sharing my video today???For my entire life the EU has been a force of good. Between funding for community development projects, cross-border cooperation initiatives, and programs aimed at promoting social inclusion, there has been a notable investment from the EU in Northern Ireland.?However, just two weeks ago, funding provided from the European Social Fund (ESF) ceased.?
It’s been 7 years since the Brexit Referendum and February was?the first window of opportunity, we’ve seen in reaching an agreement on Brexit for Northern Ireland in respect of the ‘Windsor Framework’.?We still have no idea to how the wider political, economic and social structures will impact on Northern Ireland in the medium to long term, as we continue on this ever-longing process of leaving the European Union.?
Although there is a window of optimism that our economic stability could be affirmed through the Windsor Framework, we need stability now amongst our political structures to help us best make sure there is permanent peace and stability in Northern Ireland.??
Will you help me spread the word on why stability in Northern Ireland is so important by watching and sharing my video on the successes of NI today??? The commemorative events for the 25th?anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement this month, as well as the fact I don’t remember life pre-?agreement, are testament to how instrumental the Agreement has been in promoting peace, stability, and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.?
However, when reflecting both on the last 25 years of my life as well as the last 7 years since the Brexit referendum it also reaffirms those principles need work. Brexit has put peace in Northern Ireland at risk, but this is the prime opportunity to reaffirm some of those commitments that we made 25 years ago and work to mitigate the risks that evolved with the feature of time.?
Will you show your support by getting this perspective out there for all to hear???Thanks for your support,??
Michael Lynch??
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