Post
by Obie » Tue Jul 07, 2015 4:44 pm
I believe that is the point i was seeking to make.
That letter in my view represent the correct legal position.
The Good Friday agreement recognise the birthright of a person born in Norther Ireland to identify him/herself as Irish, British or both.
It clearly does not change the citizenship law of both nations, such that a Person Born In Northern Ireland to a British Unionist parent will still be entitled to Irish Citizenship, or an British citizenship, by virtue of the citizenship law of those 2 nations.
What i said, which i continue to say, is that it will be a breach of that agreement to fail to recognise a person's right to genuinely choose between the right to be identified as an Irish or British.
If a republican in Ireland, provide a Irish Passport, and tell the British government, that I identify myself as an Irish and want nothing to do with British or Britain, and wish to identify myself as Irish only, and fail to put on the Application that he is a British aswell, then as per the Agreement, the Government will need to recognise.
The same applies, if a unionist went to Dundalk and applies under EU law, with his British passport, the Irish Government will be wrong to recognise his British Citizenship on the basis that he was born in the Island of Ireland, and an Irish aswell.
That will amount to a flagrant breach of the agreement. It will make the agreement nugatory, if both government refuses to recognise this.
Smooth seas do not make skilful sailors