Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald TD has said the British government is trampling over the Good Friday Agreement following today’s judgement against Emma DeSouza. 

The Sinn Féin President said:  

“This decision from the court today in the Emma de Souza case is a disgracefully retrograde step. 

“The Good Friday Agreement is crystal clear on this in terms of citizenship. Emma De Souza is an Irish citizen and it is disgraceful that she should have to go to court to prove it. 

“The British government is a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement but yet it is trampling all over it. 

“This is the same British government that continually claims to be upholding the Good Friday Agreement yet its actions give lie to that claim. 

“While this is a failure first and foremost of the British government, the Irish government also have a key role to play as co-guarantors of that agreement. 

“Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told us that Irish citizens in the north will never again be left behind by an Irish government. The Irish government now needs to step up and defend the rights of all Irish citizens. 

“I want to commend Emma De Souza for her efforts to date and we will continue to stand by her as she continues to take this campaign forward.”