A Question Please.
Can someone please put me right over the following as it is puzzling this old bird.
Southern Ireland is, and obviously still will be an EU member state once we leave on 31st December 2020.
Since the year 1922, S.I. and the UK have always had an unwritten agreement regarding the Common Travel Area (CTA).
What puzzles me though, is that although an EU member state, when Ireland joined the EU, it did not become a member of the Schengen Area due to wanting the continuation of the CTA.
However, what happens once the UK finishes the transition period and stricter border controls come into being? Ireland is well able to stand on its own two feet as a country and as time passes, may well become more isolated from us and delve further into the EU way of doing things - i.e. by eventually joining the Schengen Area. (either through wishing to or by force with the next magic agreement the EU come up with in their goal for total domination).
What happens then? there is no border between Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland,(The UK) How will that work if S.I. does join the Schengen allowing every EU citizen and his family being allowed freedom of movement into Southern Ireland with eventual mass applications for Irish citizenship, basically then making it a convenient easy and legal way of mass immigration by the backdoor into the UK. (just down the road). And over the water to here.
Will the CTA end if Southern Ireland eventually joins the Schengen Area? I sincerely hope so.
Does anyone have any knowledge of the above, or are my worries groundless?