Given that some sort of border controls with Britain will presumably now be set up, is there any chance of Ireland joining the Schengen area?
Not unless whatever remains of the UK joins it, or unless the border goes (which is unlikely, though a good deal less unlikely today than it was before last Friday).
We are not going to lock ourselves in a cage for the benefit of France and Germany as part of a spat with Britain. Good will towards the EU is not all that high here and Brexit is capable of doing much more damage to us than to any other EU country already without making things even worse.
Well, but Ireland could insist on the UK joining Schengen as part of the EU negotiations. Would they want to do it?
In general, this is the best chance Irish have had in many decades of getting concessions from the Brits. What would you want?
We are physically separated from the Schengen zone in any case - the only direct connections are by air or ferry, any land travel has to go through the non-Schengen UK. The disadvantages of joining far outweigh the advantages for us.
Assuming England joins, what ARE the disadvantages for you?
ag I know you want the uk to join Schengen but it is not even vaguely likely. The EUs offer will be probably be immigration status quo (current arrangement) and access to the free market take, it or leave it. Any offer including Schengen would be automatically rejected (regardless of what the rest of the offer is) so the EU won't even try.
