Sinn Féin South Down MP Chris Hazzard has challenged Tánaiste Simon Coveney on his government’s failure to extend democratic rights to citizens in the North following Brexit.
Speaking at Thursday’s meeting of the Good Friday Agreement Implementation Committee in Leinster House, the South Down MP said: “While the Irish government have been firm in the absolute need to protect the backstop to avoid any hardening of the border, people in the North are very disappointed that the Irish government has not moved legislation to allow people in the north to continue to participate in European elections post-Brexit.
“This is in the gift of the Irish government to allocate the two additional European Parliament it was given to the North.
“For political reasons the Irish government has decided not to do that.
“Legislation will be moved next week to reallocate additional seats. These should be allocated to the North in order to protect the fundamental democratic rights of Irish citizens.”
