This week, in preparation of the upcoming 12th Breakfast Debate, we highlight the efforts in resolving labor-related issues of the cross-border region between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The region we are examining is unique in terms of its history and the reinvigoration of borders. In 1998, the Good Friday Agreement forever changed the fate of the region by putting an end to decades of violence and instability. Soon thereafter, in an effort to address the border situation, the North South Ministerial Council published a study on the Obstacles to Mobility providing suggestions and recommendations. This article examines the outcome of some of these recommendations, namely the setup of the Border people portal.

WHAT

It is estimated that over 30,000 people regularly cross the Irish border for work, or education. Many of these commuters face challenges mainly regarding taxation and social insurance. For over two decades, there have been continuous endeavors to address shared cross-border concerns faced by workers from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which can be indicated as follows:

1. Lack of government-led source of information for cross-border workers
2. Differences in taxation systems
3. Lack of awareness of the obligation to declare cross-border income at home
4. Accountants and financial advisors are often only expert on one jurisdiction
5. Cross border-workers do not consider impact on social insurance and healthcare when agreeing to a new job

In 2001, the North South Ministerial Council published a Study of Obstacles to Mobility, which addressed obstacles that cross-border commuters face, while providing recommendations and solutions. One of the main priorities noted was the establishment of a one-stop cross-border mobility information website.

Six years later, in 2007 the funding and development, of the civic society led project of Border People (www.borderpeople.info), began, aiming to provide practical information to people crossing the border to live, work, study or retire. The project initially focused on providing information about the systems on the other side of the border in areas of social security, taxation, and health care.

As of today, there are still obstacles based on the lack of information which may lead employers to avoid recruiting across the border and workers to not consider cross-border opportunities. Furthermore, even when companies do hire from across the border the differences in taxation systems are often not taken under consideration in employee contracts, and if the employee works from home can often result in the increased cost for employers of running payrolls in both jurisdictions.

The Border People initiative provides up-to-date information to raise awareness for employers and employees, with how-to guides and specific case studies regarding recurring issues that one cannot find through other sources in their country. The Border People project aims to embed, through training and support, the provision of cross-border information into the practices of mainstream information providers on both sides of the border while enhancing knowledge among government departments, information providers as well as the general public. As such it constitutes “a clear example of cross-border cooperation at its most pragmatic and sensible: a means of making government departments, information and advice providers and the general public in both Irish jurisdictions more knowledgeable and thus more effective in dealing with practical obstacles to cross-border mobility”.

WHO

The border people website is advised by a series of stakeholders in the cross-border area which include: the Centre for Cross-Border Studies, the Citizens Information Board (Ireland), the Law Centre NI (Northern Ireland), the Department of Social Protection (Ireland), the Department for Communities (Northern Ireland), the Cross Border Partnership for Employment Services and the North South Ministerial Council Joint Secretariat.

WHERE

The international border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is about 500km long with, as many as 275 crossing points. The Border region between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland is a necklace of six counties along the Southern side of the border, namely Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth.

HOW

The Border People portal is a resource provided by The Center for Cross Border Studies to help people who cross the border to live, work, study and retire. The project was initially funded by the EU PEACE Programme and then further developed with EU INTERREG funding.  It is currently part-funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Reconciliation Fund.

RESULTS

The Border People portal is innovative in the sense that it strives to break down labor market related barriers originating from the lack of information between cross-border employers and employees. It has achieved that through the organization of a series of different events like seminars, and through the linkages it creates between experts and policy makers of both countries to resolve problems, inform people and offer solutions.

The website has uploaded over 200 informational articles, case studies on useful cross-border labor topics and frequently asked questions in subjects such as taxation, unemployment, healthcare, maternity leaves, social insurance, child benefits and child tax credits, retirement and pensions, education, immigration and emigration and consumer rights.

If you wish to find out more about the Website’s successful efforts, you can visit the following links:

The Website:

The latest seminar on cross-border WFH employees can be found here.

Presentation about the Project can be found here.

Tune in the 12th Breakfast Debate to hear more from Annmarie O'Kane manager of the Border People project. Subscribe here.