Kevin Maguire

, The Border between Northern Ireland and The Republic of Ireland is looking for Brexit dominated the news cycle over the last three years, But some British media and politicians have claimed recently that The Border was barely mentioned in the run-up to the EU referendum

Conservative peer Lord Forsyth, who was part of the vote Left, Campaign , was, the, it to say, there was a Problem by those who want the UK to stay in the EU.

proves But a quick scan back to the article from 2016 onwards, there was a long discussion before the decisive vote on what Escape could mean for the 310-km-long Irish Border .

Prior to the June 2016 referendum, then the Home Secretary, Theresa May , would it. no changes to The Border measures in relation to safety and checks if Brexit happened

her words echoed clearly in the Northern Ireland Assembly, the between the Political Parties - and not to forget the discussion about it in the local business community, scientists, and private individuals.

The Chancellor, George Osborne , also suggested that it reflect that, if the UK leave the EU, the customs Union, then a kind of tests or checks need to be introduced between Northern Ireland and The Republic of Ireland - Unless a solution could be found.

Ex-political opponent and PMs Sir John Major and Tony Blair to stress even a rare joint intervention, tour of the Peace Bridge in Londonderry, the importance of The Border issue.

It goes back even further than that. To keep in 2015, before the decision had been taken to the referendum, a British EU exit could impact on cross-Border traffic.

go to All messages, however, seemed to be under the radar when it came to The National Brexit debate - or maybe some do not hear?

Matthew O'toole, from County Down , worked in Downing Street as Europe's spokesman during The Campaign for the referendum and refers to The Mood .

"It wasn't just an afterthought for the voters - it was an afterthought for people working on The Campaign . It was definitely not a first-tier issue," he admitted.

He placed a number of reasons, The Key for London officials that the Irish Border would be the "decisive" role for the English electorate when they cast their votes.

"In order to understand the people, why is it a Problem to do, you have a level of education, to understand the voters, The Challenge ," said Mr O'toole.

"It was not talked about enough, But it is disingenuous to say that it was not talked about - the most important thing is the leave-Campaign deal is.

"I was personally talking about, in the number 10, I The Debate and push you to be more to explain a Problem and why it should be a bigger Problem. "

Downing Street, the argument was not, perhaps supported by the fact that the then Northern Ireland Secretary, Theresa Villiers , was also a staunch supporter of leaving the EU.

she took a completely different view to many of your colleagues in the Cabinet, with a view to the criticism for the statement, that if Brexit happened, the UK would hold an open Border with Ireland and.

Mr O'toole believes that Ms Villiers' meant attitude that " Northern Ireland Office when the entire Brexit debate came to pass.

"It's a shame to think back, now, it is ridiculous that they will have prevented their position referred to the NIO," he said.

Other Brexiteer MPs also spoke about the Irish Border before the referendum, with the argument that you were not, ignore the Problem, But rather trying to dispel people's concerns.

Among them, Boris Johnson on a visit to Northern Ireland in February 2016, when he said.

The Following month, another senior left-Campaign figure of Nigel Farage , a similar view of Mr Johnson on the Irish Border , But both men seemed to propose solutions, which have been since discharged.

After the vote, some of the voters admitted that they have not recognized the consequences of what it could mean for Northern Ireland .

Journalist and commentator Peter Oborne , even, where he confirmed that before the referendum he had little understanding of the potential impact on people on both sides of the Irish Border , the consequences for cross-Border trade and peace.

Kevin Maguire , associate editor at the Daily Mirror , said he even struggled at times to his newspaper, and across The Border as a Problem in the pre-referendum " - reporting.

"It was Drowned Out because of the focus on money and immigration," he said.

The Journalist added that he believed that national coverage of Northern Ireland had decreased massively, after the signing of the Good Friday peace agreement of 1998.

"It was almost As If everything was fine, it was that Northern Ireland was out of Sight - But The Border issue has always been clear, and we can now see, it was massively underestimated.

"I'm not cover for sure, it would have changed the outcome of the vote, But we would be better trained. "

reflection on the events of More Than three years ago, Mr. O'toole agreed that The British media played a role in the absence of stress, the Irish Border during The Campaign - and not only about what it would mean for trade and the flow of people.

"It's also about how people are the sense of identity, approval and belonging - this really deep, big questions that are difficult to back in a box, if they have been Taken Out ," he said.

"I don't think in 2016 that the people of London must be on each side of The Debate to be reckoned with, how difficult it would be. "

In the year 2019, the Problem has certainly gained much more attention, But also with the added discourse, there is no meeting of the minds about How To solve it.

Source of news: bbc.com