Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have my suspicions that it is not because of the merits of the proposal but because the proposal originated from Sinn Féin. Perhaps it is because the case of designated special status within the EU challenges the view of the Government that Ireland actually ends at the Border. That is despite the fact that every single citizen in the North has the right to Irish citizenship and the legal expectation that the Taoiseach's Government will uphold their rights, which also include the right to EU citizenship even after Brexit.

My party leader, Deputy Adams, has written to the Taoiseach to urge him to support a motion that we have tabled which would commit the Government to seek a number of commitments from the EU in these negotiations. First and foremost, the Government must adopt the position of the Dáil of supporting special designated status within the EU for the North of Ireland. Yesterday we heard lectures from the Taoiseach about how democracy works. Fifty plus one he tells us. Let me remind the Taoiseach that we had a vote in this House. The Dáil has spoken and the Dáil has stated that the position should be special designated status for the North within the European Union.

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