Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Tánaiste for the ongoing work in this area, which is of huge importance to us on many levels.

With regard to another issue in the Brexit White Paper on controlling immigration, the language is very definitive in that it explicitly states: "We will have control over the number of EU nationals [Irish people are EU nationals] coming to the UK.". It further states: "In future, therefore, the Free Movement Directive will no longer apply and the migration of EU nationals [which we are] will be subject to UK law.". I believe those are conflicting priorities. I put it to the Tánaiste that given the interpretation the British Prime Minister puts on the Brexit referendum, it is a mandate to control immigration, as she has stated many times, and that the priority given to links with Ireland will play second fiddle to the commitment to limit EU immigration. That may have unintended devastating consequences for the people of Ireland, north and south of the Border.

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