Episode One

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RTÉ's Europe Editor Tony Connelly and Deputy Foreign Editor Colm Ó Mongáin look at what Brexit business is squeezed into the EU Summit in Brussels.

Guests:

Dr Amanda Kramer of Brexit Law NI

Dr Kramer speaks about the pervasive sense of unease around Brexit in Northern Ireland. She says loyalists fear the growing discussion around Irish unity, dissident republicans see Brexit as a colonial scourge and a "gift from God", while those in the middle are fearful of the uncertainty.

Lord Patten

Familiar to Irish listeners as Chris Patten of the Northern Ireland Policing Commission and the 1999 Patten Report, he has also been the UK's EU Commissioner and Governor of Hong Kong. He is not optimistic about British chances of cutting trade deals. He is not impressed with Brexiteer solutions to avoid hard borders. And he thinks EU leaders have more on their minds this week than Brexit.

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Each week Brexit Republic will assess the unfolding developments, explain the complexities, and explore where and how Brexit will have an impact.