Brexit: Northern Irish will still get EU citizens' rights, Government reveals

The PM confirmed 'it is the permanent birthright of the people of Northern Ireland to hold both British and Irish citizenship’ as the Government published its negotiating paper on Ireland

The Prime Minister plans to uphold the ability of Northern Irish citizens to hold Irish citizenships (Getty)

People born in Northern Ireland who hold an Irish citizenship will still be able to benefit from EU citizenship rights after Brexit, according to the UK Government proposal outlining its negotiating position with Brussels.

Confirming the plans to maintain the current arrangement over citizens’ rights the Prime Minister insisted that rights enshrined under the Good Friday peace accord, including the right to claim Irish citizenship, would be maintained after the UK’s departure from the EU.

This would mean that if Northern Irish citizens wished to benefit from an Irish citizenship they would also continue to benefit from EU rights that flow from that.

The position paper adds: “As long as Ireland remains a member of the EU, Irish citizenship also confers EU citizenship, with all the rights that go with this.

“This is true for the people of Northern Ireland who are Irish citizens – or who hold both British and Irish citizenship – as it is for Irish citizens in Ireland.

“The UK welcomes the commitment in the European Commission’s directives the these EU rights should continue to be respected following the UK’s departure from the EU: ‘Full account should be taken of the fact that Irish citizens residing in Northern Ireland will continue to enjoy rights as EU citizens.”

The position paper was also published as Theresa May wrote in the Belfast-based Irish News, adding citizenship rights were “at the heart of our approach”.

She added: “On the citizenship rights guaranteed by the Belfast agreement, our position is clear. Northern Ireland remains an integral part of the United Kingdom, but it is also the permanent birthright of the people of Northern Ireland to hold both British and Irish citizenship.

“This will remain the case, and people of Northern Ireland who are Irish citizens will remain EU citizens.”

But the proposal could risk angering those who voted Remain in England, Scotland and Wales, and who also wish to retain their EU citizenship – a position advocated by the European Parliament’s chief Brexit coordinator.

Commenting on the position paper – the second of dozen expected before autumn from the UK Government – David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, said: “The UK and Ireland have been clear all along that we need to prioritise protecting the Belfast Agreement in these negotiations, and ensure the land border is as seamless as possible for people and businesses.

“The proposals we outline in this paper do exactly that, and we’re looking forward to seeing the EU’s position paper on the Northern Ireland border.”

The paper also proposes no physical infrastructure at the border of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and a Common Travel Agreement to between the UK and Ireland to continue to exist after Brexit.

Whitehall officials also insisted that protecting the Good Friday Agreement will be at the heart of the negotiations with Brussels.

“There should be no physical border infrastructure of any kind on either side of the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland,” Ms May added. ”I want people to be absolutely clear: the UK does not want to see border posts for any purpose.