ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the history of the British–Irish relationship against the backdrop of shared European Union (EU) membership. It notes the anticipated impact of Brexit on the Irish economy and on the politics and broader constitutional arrangements on the island of Ireland. The chapter details the Irish Government's approach to the Brexit challenge and notes how Brexit has impacted the tone and tenor of the British–Irish relationship. The Irish Government's primary concern is about what form a hard or soft border between the UK and Ireland will take, how it will be managed and policed and where that border might be. The Government's opposition to the reimposition of any sort of border between north and south is motivated by both political and economic factors. In short, the Irish Government expressly supports the UK remaining in the Customs Union and Single Market.
