Past Project
BREXIT
Giving a voice to local communities on the impact of BREXIT
Project Overview
Responding to BREXIT Through Research and Engagement
Although the UK had decided to leave the EU, in 2017 the full impact of BREXIT on the Irish border area was not undefined, with answers to many questions remaining outstanding. ICBAN had developed a Policy Paper on BREXIT in March 2017, noting and respecting the differing political positions of those on our Management Board. It was agreed that the organisation would work towards highlighting any opportunities or concerns and to withstand any negative consequences arising from the BREXIT process.
Having identified an absence of community consultation on both sides of the border, ICBAN together with Queen’s University Belfast published four survey initiatives between 2017 and 2021, drawing upon public responses to the consultations.
Research & Reports
‘The Border After BREXIT’ report was published in October 2021. This drew on research from an online survey which had 400 responses and focus groups/interviews that took place in summer 2021. This report was widely disseminated to key stakeholders involved in, or with an interest in BREXIT and the Irish border, and added to the evidence already gathered on voices of communities from the Central Border Region through previous studies by QUB and ICBAN.
The previous study, entitled ‘The Border into BREXIT’ completed in December 2019. This report focused on the recent developments and discussions on the issue of the Irish border, including the potential of a ‘No Deal’ scenario. The initiative included an online survey, along with a series of focus groups and engagements with key stakeholders. Similar to the previous studies, ‘The Border into BREXIT’ was presented to both the UK and Irish governments, as well as EU structures involved in the BREXIT process.
The second study, ‘BREXIT at the Border’ was published in June 2018. This report also gave a voice to border citizens and undertook to record those voices – through both an online survey and a series of focus groups. The resultant report highlighted the hopes and fears of border citizens in a post-BREXIT world and the overriding need to protect a hard-won and valued peace. The study was referenced in over 120 media publications worldwide and a research video was also produced.
The initial report, ‘Bordering on BREXIT: The views of local communities in the Central Border Region of Ireland/Northern Ireland’ was released in November 2017. The report presented eight core findings that were highly relevant to the BREXIT negotiations. It gained significant coverage in local, national and international media, and was widely referenced across the UK, Ireland and Europe, as well as in Egypt and India.
There have been over 2,100 responses to these research initiatives. ICBAN and QUB have ensured those voices were heard by disseminating the reports to those involved in high-level negotiations, including the EU’s negotiating team and the UK and Irish governments.
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The initiative provided an opportunity to build upon the outcomes of the 2018 Border Compass Project and had two key project elements; a research study relating to BREXIT; and a forum for strategic development.
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