Written answers

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Department of Foreign Affairs

Good Friday Agreement

9:00 pm

Photo of Joe McHughJoe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 659: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, pursuant to the bilateral Good Friday Agreement 1998, there is a facility whereby citizens of the Irish Republic with familial connections in Britain and Northern Ireland are able to secure British citizenship; if he will furnish details of this or any other facilities that enable Irish citizens to secure British citizenship; if he will identify all avenues to British citizenship that are open to the Irish citizen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1171/10]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The British-Irish Agreement dated 10 April 1998 provides at article 1(vi) that the Governments recognise "the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both, as they may so choose, and accordingly confirm that their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship is accepted by both Governments and would not be affected by any future change in the status of Northern Ireland". This reflects the language of the relevant Article of the Good Friday Agreement.

Annex 2 to the British-Irish Agreement sets out the joint understanding of the Governments regarding the term "the people of Northern Ireland", i.e., "all persons born in Northern Ireland and having, at the time of their birth, at least one parent who is a British citizen, an Irish citizen or is otherwise entitled to reside in Northern Ireland without any restriction on their period of residence".

The Agreement does not in itself confer citizenship upon any person. Rather, it binds the Governments to continue to recognise the British and Irish citizenship entitlements of the people of Northern Ireland (including in the event of any future change of status) and further, to continue to recognise dual citizenship for such persons.

Eligibility for British citizenship is a matter for the relevant British authorities and questions relating to British citizenship should be addressed to them.

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