Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I want to take the opportunity to reflect on a meeting of the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality that took place yesterday morning. On that occasion we heard from a range of human rights and legal organisations from the North. They are very eminent and respected figures. They gave a very stark and sobering series of contributions to members of the committee and, by extension, all Members of the Oireachtas as to the real crisis, as they deemed it, regarding the challenge posed by Brexit to rights and equality. The delegations also referred to the real legislative and legal deficit, regardless of Brexit, that exists from a failure by Governments to fully implement the Good Friday Agreement. They say that Brexit just peels off the cover that exposes the absence of legislative protections, safeguards and entitlements for Irish EU citizens who reside in the North.

In terms of a further platform, I encourage the Seanad to explore ways that allow us to act as a driver of the bulwark that is necessary to ensure that the Government remains steadfast about rights because the Government can do so. The very senior legal academics who attended the committee meeting yesterday encouraged the Government to act entirely within the confines of the Good Friday Agreement and unilaterally legislate for the rights of people who reside in the North. At present, it appears that the only right that any of us have is to obtain a passport. We need to offset the dangers, threats and jeopardy posed by Brexit being forced upon us but within the context of everything else that is going on.

I appreciated the statements and updates that the Taoiseach made the other night. He has been in here and engaged very regularly on this issue. I do not have a specific ask of the Deputy Leader or the Government today. However, I encourage Members to read the transcript of the committee proceedings and reflect on the stark warnings that were given. I have asked the Chair of the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality to convene a joint sitting with the Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement to look at the real threat posed by Brexit and how we can act as a platform for drawing attention to it, and encourage the Governments to fix the issue.