Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to address this issue because I know there has been a lot of online activity in regard to these concerns in recent weeks.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the vital citizenship and identity provisions of the Good Friday Agreement are respected and upheld in all relevant policy areas.

I am fully aware of the concerns that recent statements by the UK Government raise for Irish citizens in Northern Ireland, particularly given the uncertainty linked to Brexit. It is important to clarify that these statements in no way change the position that Irish citizens in Northern Ireland continue to be EU citizens in all circumstances.

In the Good Friday Agreement, the Governments "recognise the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both" and "confirm that their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship is accepted by both Governments." The Good Friday Agreement therefore includes an explicit right to both Irish and British citizenship and an explicit right of people to identify and be accepted as Irish or British or both. These rights must be fully respected and taken account of in all relevant circumstances. The Good Friday Agreement was agreed at a time when both Irish and British citizenships also entailed EU citizenship. After the UK exits the EU, this will no longer be the case. In order to fully uphold the spirit of the Agreement, where issues arise they should be addressed in a way that avoids any difference in entitlements based on citizenship. In particular, people in Northern Ireland should not be required to renounce Irish or British citizenship in order to access an entitlement.

This question has specifically arisen in relation to immigration rules. Last December, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to raise the case of Ms Emma De Souza, with whom the Deputy will be familiar, and the concerns in regard to the citizenship and identity provisions of the Good Friday Agreement and to ask for a review of the issues. In February, the British Prime Minister acknowledged the serious concerns in this area and pledged to "review the issues around citizenship urgently to deliver a long term solution consistent with the letter and spirit" of the agreement.

The Government is now actively seeking the outcome of that review.

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