Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Tánaiste and his officials to the committee. We appreciate the Tánaiste's comprehensive opening statement. People will take great comfort and reassurance from much, but not all, of his address this afternoon. It is important to make the point that this is in contrast to his remarks in the Dáil Chamber last night which I do not think were helpful in regard to the ongoing process. The only people who take comfort from those remarks are the people who insist on denying equality and a return to the institutions in the North. It is important to make the point that the Good Friday Agreement exists because the North is different, because it is contested, because there are competing identities there and because Belfast is not Finchley.

We are discussing the prospect of Irish and EU citizens who are resident in the North losing rights after Brexit. The reality is that currently these people do not have the full and equal status of Irish citizens in this jurisdiction. This is a cause of grave concern for people. These anomalies are to the fore in the here and now regardless of Brexit. I acknowledge and appreciate the change in tone around the issue of advocating for reunification. Many of these anomalies are the very reason people are suggesting it as the legitimate democratic alternative. We are 36 days away from Brexit. One wonders if it will be okay to start the conversation about Irish unification in 37 days. The only thing that people are advocating here is the beginning of a conversation. Two of the biggest reactions at the recent Waterfront Hall conference were in response to a request from the floor that the Irish Government stop appropriating the term "Ireland" because many of us are Irish in Ireland and the statement that we would not be stopped or hindered in discussing and planning for reunification.

In terms of the omnibus Bill, while not wishing to pre-empt the Tánaiste and noting his comments around citizenship rights versus residency rights, is there anything in that Bill to address the concerns around citizenship and is there anything that he or the Irish Government can do in concert with the Good Friday Agreement to ensure that Irish citizens in the North are legislated for here by the Irish Government to stop, for example, Irish citizens being taken to court for asserting their Good Friday Agreement rights? I reaffirm Sinn Féin's commitment to working collaboratively with the Tánaiste on the legislation when it comes before the Seanad. I think people will be watching it very carefully on all the macro issues the Tánaiste alluded to, in particular whether it legislates for our rights.