The Governor of the Bank of England, has been forced to defend, this afternoon, comments which some see as “critical of an exit from the European Union”. His decision to “flag the risks” of leaving the European Union has lead to some cricism in the press and social media. All of this, as we all know, being said today…. with the looming referendum on the, so called, Brexit, creeping ever closer in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.
As usual, some would say, Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, is on the fence. And gave no comment when questioned by the BBC and RTE this afternoon. Short of a word being, as we all know, something that Enda is rarely accused of. Apparently the Dail has no particular position on the Brexit, news which will surprise the European bankers who supported Ireland in their financial troubles.
One wonders if, as Mick Carney said this afternoon, we are simply swapping one problem for another. Irish farmers and firms who export into Europe would suffer. Entrepreneurs seeking to set up new and innovative business opportunites would suffer. The tentative recovery of the Irish real estate market, both in the North and the Republic, would suffer. The Garda would lose priveleged acces to Interpol and the EU security agencies and European football could prove problematic in many ways.
And who would set the new regulations? London or Dublin? Cork or Birmingham? Either way, an European exit would be a disaster in my opinion. Going on this afternoon’s comments, Mick Carney, although an English banker, is talking good common sense. Be very careful before you swap one problem for another.