Republican News · Thursday 29 August 2002

Doherty welcomes passport decision

West Tyrone Sinn Féin MP Pat Doherty has given a guarded welcome to the announcement by the Dublin government that the British government has now given the green light to making Irish passport application forms available at post offices in major towns in the Six Counties and in Britain.

"Sinn Féin has been constantly lobbying for the move as one way of giving practical expression to the terms of the Good Friday Agreement which accord equal legitimacy to the Irish identity of people in the six counties," said Doherty.

"A party delegation raised lack of progress on the issue with An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in a meeting before the summer break. At that stage, the British Foreign Office was holding up progress.

"I now welcome this announcement and particularly the extension of this facility to the massive Irish community in Britain.

"However, given the previous procrastination, I now hope that there will be no further delays in making Irish passport application forms available to the public."