Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 October 2019
117. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if there is a plan to address the serious and real concerns relating to citizenship consistent with the letter and spirit of the Good Friday Agreement following a ruling (details supplied). [43224/19]
View answer118. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has discussed the recent ruling on a case (details supplied) with his UK counterpart; if there were actions taken after the Taoiseach spoke to former UK Prime Minister, Mrs. Theresa May regarding same; and if there are implications for the Good Friday Agreement. [43223/19]
View answer126. Deputy James Browne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 15 of 8 October 2019, the action he will take following a decision regarding the citizenship of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43026/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 117, 118 and 126 together.
The Citizenship and Identity provisions are central to the Good Friday Agreement and it is vital that they are upheld. The Government has consistently engaged with the British Government in support of this, and we will continue to do so.
It is important to say that Ms. Emma De Souza is an Irish citizen, and this is provided for and protected under the Good Friday Agreement. I am informed that the De Souzas intend to appeal the decision of the Tribunal. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is keeping in regular contact with Emma and Jake De Souza on behalf of the Government.
In December 2018, I wrote to the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to raise the case of Emma De Souza, the concerns in relation to the Citizenship and Identity provisions of the Good Friday Agreement, and to ask for a review of the issues.
In February, then Prime Minister Theresa May 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.
In this context, the decision of the Tribunal in the De Souza case on Monday does not define the extent of the British Government’s obligations under the Good Friday Agreement.
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.
It is imperative that people in Northern Ireland have confidence in these provisions of the Agreement, in letter and in spirit. To provide for that, a positive outcome to the review mandated by the British Government is now urgently needed.
The Government is actively engaged in seeking that, in our bilateral contacts with the British Government at the highest levels and through the framework of the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference, where the two Governments are also discussing Citizenship and Identity issues under the Agreement more broadly.
The Taoiseach raised the De Souza case with Prime Minister May and has confirmed that he will also raise it with Prime Minister Johnson. I raised the case with the current Secretary of State for Northern Ireland again at our meeting on Tuesday 15 October, underlining the pressing need for a positive outcome to the review by the British Government.
Sensitive and generous approaches by the British Government are needed to ensure that the right of people in Northern Ireland to identify as Irish, or British, or both is meaningfully provided for in all relevant policy areas.
The Government will continue to strongly pursue this with the British Government, as a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement.
