Professor Colin Harvey:

I would like to return to an earlier point. All the examples that have been raised are illustrative of the fact that the obligations we are talking about raise questions about reform in a British context and in an Irish context. In both states, there is a need to look at citizenship and nationality law, policy and practice to ensure the letter and the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement are fully respected and reflected. I know that a conversation around citizenship laws is happening here. A conversation is needed in Ireland and in the British context to ensure that domestic citizenship and nationality law, policy and practice are reflective of the letter and the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement. I do not think they are respected and reflected at present. A conversation needs to take place.

On a more concrete level, I would like to take this opportunity to call for the urgent review by a forum or panel - it does matter what it is called - that is needed. If nobody is already doing this, such a forum or panel should be tasked with thinking through in concrete terms the changes that need to be made in the British and Irish contexts to address some of the problems we are now seeing in both states. I would like to call for the establishment of a review, panel or body - if this is not already happening - with a tight timeframe for coming up with concrete recommendations and proposals on what needs to change in both contexts to fully reflect and address the things we are now learning. Brexit has uncovered these issues in stark detail. Many of us were familiar before Brexit with the problems that needed to be addressed.