Adrian O’Neill, the Irish ambassador to London, has relayed the government’s concern to British authorities over their Nationality and Borders Bill, which will require non-Irish EU citizens living in the Republic to get an electronic visa to travel to Northern Ireland.
O’Neill wrote to the Home Office on December 10 expressing Dublin’s disquiet after both the taoiseach and tanaiste voiced their objections to the legislation, which passed through the House of Commons on December 9 despite opposition from the SDLP and the Alliance Party, who tried to amend its terms.
The legislation will go to the House of Lords in the new year, where it could face stiffer opposition.
Government sources said the principal concern revolves around how the legislation will be enforced in