Letter to An Taoiseach – 8th December 2017

An Taoiseach
Leo Varadkar TD
Oifig an Taoisigh,
Tithe an Rialtais,
Baile Atha Cliath 2

 

A Thaoisigh, a chara,

 

We are writing this letter to you as Irish citizens living in the north of Ireland to express our frustration and growing concern over the deepening nature of the ongoing political crises in the north.

 

We are committed to human rights and cherish our Irish cultural traditions and our Irish national identity, as do hundreds of thousands of others living in this part of our country. We value equality for all citizens yet continue to be denied rights afforded to all others living on these islands.

 

We fully endorse the recent call from human rights groups and others on this island for no regression on rights and equality and respect for the principle of equivalence.

 

In 1998 the overwhelming population of the country voted in favour of the Good Friday Agreement.  In recent years we have observed a concerted undermining of the political institutions established under the Good Friday Agreement and a laissez-faire approach being adopted by the two governments as coguarantors of the Good Friday Agreement.

 

We believe that the current crisis has come about fundamentally due to a failure to both implement & defend the Good Friday and St Andrew’s Agreements.  The result has been a denial and refusal of equality, rights and respect towards the section of the community to which we belong, as well as everyone living here.

 

The impending reality of Brexit now threatens to reinforce partition on this island and revisit a sense of abandonment as experienced by our parents and grandparents.

 

The fact that a majority of voters in the north of Ireland voted to remain within the EU must not be ignored. Against the stated will of a majority of voters in the north, and notwithstanding recent announcements, Brexit pushes us all into unchartered territory, with huge uncertainty for business and the economy, and continuing doubts about what this will mean in reality for Irish and European citizens living in this region.

 

We, our children and grandchildren should not be forced out of the EU against our democratic will.

 

All of this is offensive and unacceptable to us and many others.

 

Despite the British government’s co-equal and internationally binding responsibility for overseeing the Peace Process with the Irish government, we have no confidence in its commitment to do so with impartiality or objectivity. This is most recently instanced in the British Government’s refusal to move on legacy inquest rights.

 

The Conservative Party’s political pact with the DUP has now become a grave threat to political progress.

 

We appeal urgently to you Taoiseach, and to the Irish government, to reassure us of your commitment to stand for equality and a human rights based society and your determination to secure and protect the rights of all citizens in the north of Ireland.

 

Is sinne le mór mheas,

 

 

 

Academia Prof Bill Rolston Antrim

Academia Prof Patricia Lundy Antrim

Academia Prof Mark McGovern Derry

Academia Dr Michael Pierse Antrim

Academia Prof Phil Scraton Antrim

Academia Prof Colin Harvey Derry

An Ghaeilge Aisling NÍ Labhraí Antrim

An Ghaeilge Dr Feargal Mac Ionnrachtaigh Antrim

An Ghaeilge Dr Antaine Ó Donnaile Armagh

An Ghaeilge Ciarán Ó Pronntaigh Antrim

An Ghaeilge Ciarain Mac Cearáin Derry

An Ghaeilge Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin Antrim

An Ghaeilge Niall Ó Catháin Derry

An Ghaeilge Éilís Ní Chaiside Derry

An Ghaeilge Dr Pádraig Ó Tiarnaigh Down

Arts Michele Devlin Down

Arts Eibhlin Ní Dhochartaigh Derry

Arts Conor Caldwell Antrim

Arts Rónan Bennett Antrim

Arts Dr Brian Ferran Antrim

Arts Ray Giffen Down

Arts John McSherry Antrim

Arts Eamonn Murray Antrim

Arts Barry Kerr Armagh

Arts Tony Devlin Antrim

Arts Terry George Down

Arts Pearse Elliott Antrim

Arts Seamie O’Neill Antrim

Arts Oorlagh George Down

Arts JB Vallely Armagh

Arts Donal O’Connor Down

Arts Malachi Cush Tyrone

Business James Conlon Tyrone

Business Ciarán Mackel Down

Business Eamon Blaney Down

Business Christine Jones Down

Business Stephen Thompson Antrim

Business Shaun McElhinney Derry

Business Seamus Ó hAodha Down

Business Johnny Kelly Tyrone

Business Brian McGirr Tyrone

Business Chris Conwell Fermanagh

Business Eamon Fitzpatrick Fermanagh

Business Gerry Hicks Fermanagh

Business Martin Carey Fermanagh

Business Mary Connolly Fermanagh

Business Sheamus Cosgrove Fermanagh

Business Thomas McAloon Fermanagh

Business Patrick Magee Antrim

Business Ciaran McCavana Antrim

Business Dougie Adams Antrim

Business Peter Curistan Antrim

Business Jane Adams Antrim

Business Sean Napier Antrim

Business Brian O’Neill Derry

Business John McGowan Derry

Business Gareth Creaney Antrim

Business Frank Cullen Antrim

Business Gerard de Brún Antrim

Business Rosemary McKenna Antrim

Business Andy McCallin Antrim

Business Jim Conlon Antrim

Business Peter Quinn Fermanagh

Business Seamus McMullan Antrim

Business Tony Shivers Antrim

Business Dominic Kearns Antrim

Business Cathal McAteer Antrim

Business James Thornton Antrim

Business Leo Carey Antrim

Business Gerry O’Reilly Armagh

Business Bernard Boyle Armagh

Business Anthony Havern Armagh

Business Pat McCorley Antrim

Business James Toal Antrim

Business Charlie Keenan Antrim

Business Thomas McStocker Antrim

Business Jim Clinton Antrim

Business Gerry Carlile Antrim

Business Damien Brown Derry

Business Kieran Kennedy Tyrone

Community Fr Joe McVeigh Fermanagh

Community Aodhán Harkin Tyrone

Community Joe Duffy Armagh

Community Ciarán Mac Airt Antrim

Community Marie Quiery Down

Community Annie Armstrong Antrim

Community Harry Connolly Antrim

Community Kevin Gamble Antrim

Community Pilib Ó Ruanaí Down

Community Seamus de Leaduis Fermanagh

Community Oliver McCaffrey Fermanagh

Community Frank Liddy Antrim

Community Conal McDevitt Derry

Community Alison O Neill Antrim

Community John Kelly Derry

Community Conal McFeely Derry

Community Seamas Heaney Derry

Community Ciara Ferguson Derry

Community Davy Cunningham Down

Community Conor Murray Derry

Community Michelle Kelly Antrim

Community Elizabeth McStocker Antrim

Community Peter Bunting Down

Community Andrée Murphy Antrim

Community Mark Thompson Antrim

Community Clara Reilly Antrim

Community Fr Gary Donegan Fermanagh

Community Eugene Reavey Armagh

Community Gerard Rice Antrim

Community Damien Lindsay Antrim

Community Angela Hegarty Derry

Community Paul O’Connor Derry

Community Tish Holland Antrim

Education Bernard O’Connor Fermanagh

Education Lorette Gleeson Fermanagh

Education Seamus Ó Tuama Antrim

Education Mairead Ní Chonghaile Antrim

Education Gearoid MacRoibeaird Antrim

Education Marie McBride Antrim

Education Caireann Uí Mhuireagáin Antrim

Education Liam Ó Flannagáin Derry

Education Padraig Mac an tSaoir Antrim

Education Máire Darragh Antrim

Health Dr Peter Murphy Antrim

Health Dr John McSparran Antrim

Health Dr Brendan McDonald Tyrone

Law Pat Fahy Tyrone

Law Peter Madden Antrim

Law Padraig Ó Muirigh Antrim

Law Adrian O Kane Tyrone

Law Michael Fahy Tyrone

Law Des Fahy BL Tyrone

Law Colin Gervin BL Tyrone

Law Frank McManus Fermanagh

Law Anna McHugh BL Tyrone

Law Ciaran Toner Antrim

Law Michael Crawford Antrim

Law Niall Murphy Antrim

Law John Finucane Antrim

Law Caitlin Bunting Antrim

Law Rosie Kinnear Antrim

Law Eamon McLaughlin Antrim

Law Sean G Doherty BL Derry

Law Darragh Mackin Antrim

Law Martin Durkan Down

Law Paul Foster BL Derry

Law Blaine Nugent BL Tyrone

Law Michelle McDonnell Tyrone

Law Sinead Larkin Armagh

Law Ciaran Roddy BL Derry

Law Brian G McCartney QC SC Antrim

Law Patricia Coyle Derry

Law Claire McKeegan Antrim

Law Peter Corrigan Tyrone

Law Katie Dowling Antrim

Law Marie Hans Tyrone

Law Neil Fox BL Antrim

Law Pearse McDermott Derry

Law Paddy McDermott Derry

Law Chris McCann Antrim

Law John Keown Down

Law Joe McVeigh Antrim

Law Kevin Winters Down

Law Anna Nugent Down

Law Paul Pierce Antrim

Law Sean Pol Begley Tyrone

Media Maria McCourt Antrim

Media Patricia McBride Derry

Media Brian Feeney Antrim

Media Colm Dore Antrim

Media Dr Jude Collins Antrim

Media Martin Shannon Fermanagh

Media Robin Livingstone Antrim

Media Barry McCaffrey Antrim

Media Sonia Nic Giolla Easpaig Derry

Sports Peter Canavan Tyrone

Sports Tommy Shaw Antrim

Sports Kieran McKeever Derry

Sports Tony Scullion Derry

Sports Paddy Bradley Derry

Sports Ciaran McLaughlin Tyrone

Sports Conor Gormley Tyrone

Sports Eamon Lindsay Tyrone

Sports John Lynch Tyrone

Sports Paddy Cunningham Antrim

Sports Patrick McBride Antrim

Sports Ronan McNamee Tyrone

Sports Neil McManus Antrim

Sports Terence ‘Sambo’ McNaughton Antrim

Sports Tommy Quinn Antrim

Sports Gary “Pappy” O’Kane Antrim

Sports Gregory O’Kane Antrim

Sports Mark Carey Antrim

Sports Ross Carr Down

Sports Conor Laverty Down

Sports Chrissy McKaigue Derry

Sports Kevin Madden Antrim

Sports James McClean Derry

Sports Michael McCann Antrim

Sports Justin Crozier Antrim

Sports Cathy Rooney Antrim

Sports Paddy Barnes Antrim

Sports Michael Conlan Antrim

Sports Jamie Conlan Antrim

Sports Aoife Ní Chasaide Derry

Sports Shannon Lynch Tyrone

Sports Benny Tierney Armagh

Sports Enda McNulty Armagh

Sports Paddy Bradley Derry

Sports Ciaran McKeever Armagh

Sports Danny Hughes Down

Sport Joe Kernan Armagh