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The country’s
byelection results showed Adams Asks Irish IRISH
that the Government is “out
of touch”, Sinn Féin’s
leader claimed. EXAMINER
Fine Gael suffered a Government To Adopt
blow after failing to win |
any seats in four contests
which could provide clues Northern Woman’s
before the whole country December
goes to the polls next year.
Fine Gael’s tight margin
for passing laws with the Citizenship Battle 4th,
support of a coalition of 2019
independents will shrink ormer Sinn Féin president
further following the results Gerry Adams has urged the
of Friday’s vote in parts of FIrishgovernmenttoadopta
Dublin and the south. legal case being taken by a
Contests were ordered to Northern Ireland woman chal-
fill vacancies left by parlia- lenging a ruling that she is British
mentarians elected to the and not Irish.
European Parliament in The Co Louth TD made the
May. appeal as Emma De Souza
Sinn Féin president Mary from Magherafelt gave evi-
Lou McDonald said: “The dence to the Committee on
vote was a clear rejection of Justice and Equality at Leinster
the government’s housing House on Wednesday.
and health policies and a Ms De Souza last month
vote for Sinn Féin’s propos- lodged a challenge in the Court
of Appeal in Belfast to a ruling
als for the biggest public that those born in the region
housing program in are automatically British citi-
decades, investment in pub- zens. adding it is one of a number of for internees who had been tor- said.
lic services and for plan- She won a case against the implementation gaps, includ- tured and took it to the “Because if there is going to
ning for Irish unity. Home Office in 2017 after it ing a bill of rights for Northern European Court. be referendum change we all
“The result is significant deemed she was British when Ireland. “I think that there should be must recognise that the union-
for a number of reasons – it her US-born husband Jake “The implementation gaps some exploration of the Irish ist population in Northern
exposed a totally out of applied for a residence card. harm everyone in Northern government using diplomatic Ireland are entitled to remain
touch government which is But in October an immigra- Ireland,” he said. and other avenues – but also identifying as British. That’s a
failing to deliver for work- tion tribunal upheld an appeal Mr Adams challenged the taking responsibility. big issue that’s going to have to
ers and families and a brought by the Home Office. Irish Government to throw its “If the people of the north be dealt with.”
growing impatience among British government lawyers weight behind the case. are not to be left behind ever Closing the meeting, com-
the people at a government argued that people born in Last month Tánaiste Simon again by a government, here is mittee chairman Caoimhghin
wasting the economic Northern Ireland are British cit- Coveney expressed concern a moment to do something O Caolain (Sinn Fein) also
growth of recent years.” C izens according to the 1981 over the case and said he about it. expressed concern at the case.
British Nationality Act, even if intended to raise it with “Adopt this as a case and “British taxpayers’ money is
they identify as Irish. Northern Ireland Secretary that in itself would put the being used to crush Irish citi-
A number of vehicles The Good Friday Julian Smith. British government under pres- zens’ rights, that’s really where
were been seized in Agreement allows people to But Mr Adams said the Irish sure, that an Irish government we are at,” he said.
Kildare, Meath, Laois, identify as British, Irish or both, Government needed to do is prepared to support a legal “I’d like to suggest we
Offaly, Westmeath and but the UK Home Office says more than make statements. case. would write to our Tánaiste, I
Wicklow over the weekend the agreement did not super- He warned: “No matter “If she loses, we all lose.” think we should write and say
after gardaí carried out sede the 1981 British how strong a statement there is Ms De Souza welcomed Mr we fully support the efforts of
checkpoints under Nationality Act. from an Irish Government … Adams’s contribution, pointing the government to pursue the
Operation Thor in over a Professor Colin Harvey, they are not read in Downing out that she and her husband matter as they have demon-
dozen districts in the who described himself as Street, they are not listened to. have not received any financial strated they are, but to explore
Eastern Region. speaking in a personal capacity “Ordinary people have to support throughout their legal what other avenues if any they
These high visibility as an Irish citizen living north become activists, ordinary peo- battle. can employ in order to signifi-
patrols and checkpoints will of the border, also gave evi- ple have to become experts, Meanwhile Fianna Fail TD cantly, if possible, ratchet up
have prevented burglaries dence to the committee. ordinary people have to put Jim O’Callaghan said there are the pressure.
and disrupted the move- He commended Ms De themselves out there for rights. also potential implications for “But added to that is a
ment of travelling criminals, Souza, saying she “speaks for But who is funding Emma’s unionists in Northern Ireland request for consideration in
according to gardaí. many people” in the stand she case? Working people have to in the De Souza case. relation to the cost of Emma’s
case because it isn’t just about
“There’s an obligation on all
fund-raise, run little ballots to
A disqualified driver was is taking. fund this. That shouldn’t be the of us to try to communicate to Emma and her husband, this is
He said he thinks the matter
also detected driving at is “very simple” – an “imple- case,” he said. the unionist population that something that goes much,
Kilcoole in County mentation gap in relation to “There was a time when an this is of benefit to everyone much further and much deep-
Wicklow. C the Good Friday Agreement”, Irish government took a case living in Northern Ireland,” he er.” C

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