Letter urging Leo Varadkar to "defend the rights" of Irish citizens

More than 1,000 Irish citizens have signed a letter to Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), Leo Varadkar, asking him to "defend the rights of Irish citizens" in Northern Ireland.

The letter stated that it was necessary because of the Brexit, "the current political crisis in the north and persistent attacks against the agreement on Good Friday".

The signatories are Adrian Dunbar, Frances Black and James McClean.

A similar appeal was issued to Mr Varadkar last December.

The letter states: "Political institutions remain in suspension, political unionism continues to deny respect for our Irish identity and language, the equality of marriages, access to justice for 39; inheritance.

"As you know, these rights are now taken for granted by citizens of other regions of these islands."

Attorney Niall Murphy, one of the organizers, said the letter had been signed by "a representative sample of northern national civil society and citizens from all over Ireland, reflecting many professions: business, arts, sport, culture and community life ".

The complete list of signatories was published on Monday.

Analysis: social and political consequences eclipsed

By Mark Devenport, Political Editor of BBC News NI

This letter is part of a series of public letters expressing concern over the potential impact of Brexit on the rights of citizens of Northern Ireland.

In December, more than 200 civic nationalists turned to taoiseach for protection.

In February, more than 100 trade unionists and others published an open letter in which they complained that they were made invisible in the rights debate.

The latest letter from civic nationalists insists on fears about health care, education and the loss of the right to vote.

This could reflect the concern that the argument on cross-border trade has overshadowed the potential social and political consequences of Brexit.

These concerns led a Belfast-based civil liberties group to lodge a formal complaint with the European Ombudsman.

In October, the EU Ombudsman expressed sympathy for the complaint, but rejected it, saying it was beyond his mandate.

Mr. Murphy was involved in writing this letter and last year's letter signed by 200 people.

"We are collectively seeking to express a deep sense of fear at the ongoing Brexit negotiations," Murphy said.

"The fear that the partition of our island is made worse by a border, because of a constitutional crisis that no Irishman has sought to provoke.

"We urge the Irish Government and the Irish Government to stand firm in these negotiations, to defend the Good Friday contract and to establish a rights-based society and to ensure that the rights enjoyed by Donegal continue to be upheld. in Derry and that the return to the Irish border will not be acceptable. "