Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. The Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, is very welcome to the House this morning and I thank him for taking the time to address the issue. The purpose of the Commencement matter is self-explanatory. We have heard that for reasonable, logical and understandable reasons the State intends to get Brexit-ready by hosting a series of positive engagements nationally. It would be more positive again if they were to come North as well. We have heard a great deal about the Brexit-proofing of this week's budget, which is, again, necessary given the context. I have sought to find out whether as part of those plans and engagements consideration is being given by the Department and the Government more generally to investing in services to meet citizens' needs where they are, as is happening with investment in animals and businesses. I refer to this investment with a specific focus on the North of Ireland where citizens are very mobilised around this issue. They are concerned and they are engaged with the Government. If we are to affirm the statement about not leaving citizens behind, which is welcome, it is time to, at least, plan in our future work programmes, whether it is via the budget or in other ways, to provide the direct interface citizens will need in the live dynamic of Brexit and, in particular, in a post-Brexit situation. People are uncertain and will need to engage with the Government and Departments not only on Irish rights and entitlements but also on their existing EU rights and entitlements.

I am not asking for an update on the state of play in the negotiations. I appreciate the juncture we are at and the fluidity of the live negotiations. An té nach gcuireann san earrach ní bhaineann sé san fhómhar. If we do not plan ahead, we will be in a worse position when trying to provide these services further down the line. Hopefully, that is part of the consideration of Government and, in particular, the Department.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Ó Donnghaile for raising the matter of protecting services for Irish citizens in Northern Ireland post-Brexit. As the Senator pointed out, we are at a critical phase of the Article 50 negotiations. As President Tusk stated in Salzburg in September, we must seek to maximise progress and results in these negotiations in the coming weeks so that we can finalise and formalise a deal in November. Our preference remains for an overall EU-UK relationship which would resolve all issues, but it remains essential that a backstop is agreed which provides the certainty that there will be no hard border in any circumstance. We need that certainty now because uncertainty is already causing grave concern among communities North and South.

At paragraph 52 of the joint report of December, the European Commission and the UK acknowledged that the Good Friday Agreement recognises the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to choose to be Irish or British or both and to be accepted as such. The joint report also confirms that the people of Northern Ireland who are Irish citizens will continue to enjoy rights as EU citizens, including where they reside in Northern Ireland. Both parties agreed that the withdrawal agreement should respect and be without prejudice to the rights, opportunities and identity that come with European Union citizenship for such people. It was further agreed that the next phase of negotiations would examine the arrangements required to give effect to the ongoing exercise of and access to their EU rights, opportunities and benefits. This position is recognised in the draft protocol. As the UK leaves the European Union, there is an onus on its government to ensure that it provides as necessary for the recognition in the joint report that the people of Northern Ireland who choose to identify as Irish, and therefore as citizens of the EU, will continue to enjoy the rights, opportunities and benefits of EU citizenship, including where they reside in Northern Ireland.

In the context of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, the Government is committed to ensuring that the common travel area, or CTA, and the associated rights and entitlements of Irish and British citizens under this long-standing reciprocal arrangement, which dates back to the 1920s, will continue. This is also recognised in the text of the withdrawal agreement. The CTA allows Irish and British citizens to move and reside freely in either jurisdiction and enables access to a range of similar associated rights in the other country. Under the CTA, Irish citizens in the UK and British citizens in Ireland have the right to reside, work, study and access healthcare, social security and public services in the other country as well as to vote in certain elections.

Since the UK referendum decision to leave the EU, we have seen a 20% rise in passport applications from Irish citizens resident in Northern Ireland. Since 2016, a significant programme of reform to enhance passport services for citizens has been under way, including the introduction of online passport services. The distribution of tasks across the passport service has also been refined and improved. Currently, the Passport Office in Cork processes applications from Northern Ireland. An anticipated 230 temporary clerical officers will be recruited in 2019, over 40 of whom will be assigned to the Cork office in addition to 11 permanent officers.In summary, the Government is acutely conscious of the potential impact on Northern Ireland of the UK decision to leave the European Union. We are determined to ensure that the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts and the gains and benefits of the peace process are protected for people on the island of Ireland, North and South, as the UK leaves the EU.

Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein)
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I appreciate the update and fully understand the restrictions on the Minister of State. He acknowledges and reaffirms a number of important positions of Government, which is welcome and encouraging. If raising this seems somewhat unfair of me, I am not trying to dupe the Minister of State or get him to reveal his hand. I am trying to encourage and sustain the pressure because citizens in the North would expect me to do as much. As well as the macro-political negotiations, people also want to see physical, visible manifestations of Irish Government support and continued endorsement. This is perfectly in line with the word and letter of the Good Friday Agreement when one considers that there is existing Irish government infrastructure in the Six Counties. The issue is one of determining how best we utilise that to support the needs of citizens who are crying out for greater Irish Government investment. When they look across the water and see what is happening there, they do not have much faith in or support for what the British Government is doing.

With regard to the Passport Office, it is no wonder that we need to employ an additional 230 staff, given that the Secretary General of the Department has acknowledged that the passport service is under immense pressure. Last year, more than 82,000 passport applications came from the Six Counties and that figure is anticipated to rise again this year. Would it not make far more sense to locate some of those 230 people in the North rather than in Cork? The radically increasing number of passport applications is being processed at the farthest possible point from where they are originating. With regard to how we utilise the existing infrastructure and deal with people directly in service interface and delivery, it would make much more sense to invest for the future and direct some of those staff to where the growing demand is generated. I will raise the matter again, no doubt.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The Senator has referred before to the need to establish a passport office in Belfast.

Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein)
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Once or twice.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Yes. In addition to the staff costs that might arise, which are already subsumed into the service, very significant capital investment of more than €1.5 million would be required for the machine required to print the passports. A passport express service is available in Northern Ireland through more than 60 post offices dotted throughout the province. There is also an online service. A resident of Belmullet is much farther away from the Dublin Passport Office than a resident of Belfast.

That current service works exceptionally well, not just for citizens residing on the island of Ireland but for citizens across the world too. In providing that service, we need to ensure we have sufficient staff capacity to process all the applications that are arising. We expect further increases in passport applications in future. We are recruiting staff and an excellent ongoing recruitment process is in place. The resources and capacity of the Passport Office are such now that we are confident that it will be capable of catering for additional demand in the future.