Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

At the heart of the philosophy that has underpinned the Government's strategy is that the rights of citizens who live in the North must be safeguarded. It is the heart of the approach that has been taken by these Houses. These are no small matters and Sinn Féin sought to table amendments to address these. There are clear deficiencies in legislation with regard to the citizenship rights of those in the North, the rights to Irish nationality of those who live in the North, and where it relates to the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956. These deficiencies have been identified, not just by Sinn Féin but also by the Committee on the Administration of Justice, by Queen's University Belfast academics, by academics in the South, and by a whole plethora of people. This needs to be resolved. I do not believe it needs to be a matter of dispute but clearly there is a view that there is an absence that this Bill has not addressed. It will not be addressed unless the Minister tables amendments. My amendments are not able to get through the system so I appeal to the Minister to give this further consideration before it goes to the Seanad, and to table amendments.

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