Has any progress been made in the Brexit negotiations during the past weeks? The signals are vague, and the details are thin. Is there any smoke, and if so where is the fire? The little that comes out of the ‘tunnel’ suggests that progress is underway on the Irish border issue and financial services, but we are as yet not allowed to know to what extent. Although I think Brexit still is a ridiculous idea, a deal is better than no deal. This article will explain why based on a comparison of performance between Ireland and the United Kingdom, since 1973. Also, the results of the 2nd quarter of 2018 of the Brexit monitor are now available as well.