As international state craft goes, a bilateral agreement between the UK and Ireland to honour pensions and social welfare arrangements is about as dull as it gets.
But when it comes to Brexit, dull is a good thing.
The deal provides reassurance and clarity to tens of thousands of people on both sides of the Irish Border and Irish Sea – particularly on their vitally important pension income.
Nothing is changing. And in the context of Brexit, that is by far the best we can hope for.
Getting a deal done also shows that, behind the noise and confusion at Westminster, the UK’s administrative system rolls on, well capable of implementing policy once officials are given a clear mandate for action.
That will be important once the UK really does cut loose from the EU.
The pensions deal, struck directly between the UK and Ireland, also shows we don’t need Brussels to take the lead on every element of Brexit, even if the core aspect of withdrawal and future relations have to be hammered out at EU level.
For now, though, our pensioners have far greater clarity around their position than a UK ex-pat retired to Spain, or a Polish retiree living in the UK.
The best analogy for Brexit is divorce. Or maybe the best analogy for EU membership is marriage. By and large, marriage allows a couple to enter through a single contract into a mass of overlapping legal agreements to establish something close to absolute clarity around their conjoined status.
At a stroke, complex issues like inheritance, property rights, shared responsibilities towards children are all put on a sound legal footing.
EU accession is a less exciting courtship – but member state status is cast-iron and clear.
Having the UK outside the EU will mean a more complicated relationship; a more fraught friendship with fewer definable benefits.
Meanwhile, we have the divorce. Being in the EU is great while it lasts but when it unravels the whole complex web of interlocking contracts is thrown into doubt and unpicking the relationship is infinitely more difficult than getting hitched in the first place.
But it has to happen before we all get on with our lives, step by step. The pensions deal suggests that, with a bit of goodwill on both sides, rebuilding doesn’t have to be a battle all the way.
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Home » Analysis & Comment » Donal O'Donovan: 'When nothing is changing, it's often the best we can hope for in confused times'
Donal O'Donovan: 'When nothing is changing, it's often the best we can hope for in confused times'
As international state craft goes, a bilateral agreement between the UK and Ireland to honour pensions and social welfare arrangements is about as dull as it gets.
But when it comes to Brexit, dull is a good thing.
The deal provides reassurance and clarity to tens of thousands of people on both sides of the Irish Border and Irish Sea – particularly on their vitally important pension income.
Nothing is changing. And in the context of Brexit, that is by far the best we can hope for.
Getting a deal done also shows that, behind the noise and confusion at Westminster, the UK’s administrative system rolls on, well capable of implementing policy once officials are given a clear mandate for action.
That will be important once the UK really does cut loose from the EU.
The pensions deal, struck directly between the UK and Ireland, also shows we don’t need Brussels to take the lead on every element of Brexit, even if the core aspect of withdrawal and future relations have to be hammered out at EU level.
For now, though, our pensioners have far greater clarity around their position than a UK ex-pat retired to Spain, or a Polish retiree living in the UK.
The best analogy for Brexit is divorce. Or maybe the best analogy for EU membership is marriage. By and large, marriage allows a couple to enter through a single contract into a mass of overlapping legal agreements to establish something close to absolute clarity around their conjoined status.
At a stroke, complex issues like inheritance, property rights, shared responsibilities towards children are all put on a sound legal footing.
EU accession is a less exciting courtship – but member state status is cast-iron and clear.
Having the UK outside the EU will mean a more complicated relationship; a more fraught friendship with fewer definable benefits.
Meanwhile, we have the divorce. Being in the EU is great while it lasts but when it unravels the whole complex web of interlocking contracts is thrown into doubt and unpicking the relationship is infinitely more difficult than getting hitched in the first place.
But it has to happen before we all get on with our lives, step by step. The pensions deal suggests that, with a bit of goodwill on both sides, rebuilding doesn’t have to be a battle all the way.
Source: Read Full Article