Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as a bheith linn don díospóireacht thar a bheith tábhachtach agus suntasach seo a bheas againn faoi tuairisc an choiste speisialta den Seanad.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, for joining us for this important discussion.

I wish to take the opportunity at the start to thank the Leader for allotting time for this debate. It is critically important that we bring this important debate to the floor of the Chamber because under the guidance and leadership of our Chairman, as other members have said, we have put in a significant body of work in order to put the report together. I want to add to the words of thanks to Senator Neale Richmond, to the committee clerk and secretariat and to all the people who shared their very different views and experiences during the course of the committee's work.

I do not wish to rehash what has been said already. I say that respectfully. The opening statement says it all, namely, that Brexit is bad for Ireland. I do not say that to be overly simplistic but I say it because I think it encompasses the reality that has been forced upon us against our will. None on the island of Ireland has consented to Brexit and the negative implications that will result from it. None has consented to an alteration of the constitutional status or indeed very important agreements, as outlined in the report, which were voted on in a referendum and endorsed by people North and South.

In the midst of the economic, agricultural and societal difficulties, one has a very clear overt political threat hanging over the island of Ireland. It is unilateral and has been forced upon us against our will. What we need to hear is the understandable and right economic responses to Brexit, and we also need to have a very open and sincere conversation about how we will offset the real and overt political threats facing us in the time ahead. Senator Craughwell mentioned the threat from the status of non-EU migrant citizens, who are living in the North. I raised this under a Commencement matter with the Minister for Justice and Equality, who has responsibility for citizenship issues and while I respect the Minister's position and will engage with him positively in the future, I was not particularly encouraged by the response that I received on how we offset this particular negative on those people who wish to avail of Irish citizenship but because of a small anomaly they are not entitled under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement which grants citizenship to people born on the island of Ireland. This situation is more pronounced along the Border communities where people may have been living for 30 plus years, have raised their families and have set up businesses, contributing to the peace and reconciliation process and who view themselves as Irish and part of Irish life. Their children attend the Gaelscoileanna, play football and hurling for the local GAA club. The normal process for them which is referred to as naturalisation can be very bureaucratic, complex and costly. While I appreciate that it may not be the Minister's specific kick in that regard, it may be something that he will factor and talk to his Government colleagues about. I think we owe those people a duty of care alongside everybody else because of the pronounced uncertainty around their status.

I have touched on the issue of the agreements which I have raised consistently. The report reflects rightly and appropriately on the issue of the Good Friday Agreement and subsequent agreements. The current Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade was very straightforward, overt, clear and concise in his public remarks on the imaginative and creative solutions to the question of the Border at the launch of the Good Friday Agreement committee's report on Brexit, sentiments which I share. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade who has special responsibility for dealing with Brexit issues was very clear that there should be no change in the status of the Border. I do not wish to appear naive or give the impression that I do not appreciate the complexities or nuances of this issue because I do. I do not want to see any border on the island of Ireland; I would like it to be removed, but in the meantime, as a state, a Government and in the Houses of the Oireachtas, we must do everything we can to ensure there will be no change to its current status. There is an onus on the Government to stand firm on the issue and look at the examples of other countries, not least Spain, in the further Brexit negotiations. Spain is doing what is best for its people and in its own national interests.

I share the Minister of State's desire to see the Executive re-established in the North. When the Executive was in place, the British Government was very much limited in its influence and ability to have a direct influence or say and often ignored, but there is now a different political dynamic in the North because the main unionist party champions Brexit, foolishly and recklessly. The Minister of State should be certain that the 56% who voted in the North to remain, of which I was one, look to the Irish Government to be their clear voice. They come from every walk of life, political, cultural and societal tradition and firmly look to the Irish Government. Tthat is why there has been a huge increase in the number of Irish passport applications from some of the most staunchly loyalist communities in the North. Just across from me is the Lower Newtownards Road, the birthplace of the UVF in 1914 or 1915 and the population of which is staunchly steeped in the loyalist tradition. The post office on it ran out of Irish passport application forms in the days immediately after the Brexit vote. It says something about people who do not have the greatest affinity with Irish citizenship that they want to retain their EU citizenship and status. We have an obligation to ensure that will happen.

I appreciate everything the Minister of State has said and do not envy her in dealing with the challenges she faces in dealing with this issue. The report is a significant body of work. If it does one thing, it is that it shines a spotlight on these difficulties. I hope it will go some way to showing the Minister of State and her colleagues in governm6ent how to find solutions in stormy waters, as Senator Michelle Mulherin noted.