When will journalists not take the lazy route and call the declaration for Ireland a loophole?
Players born in Fermanagh, Armagh, Tyrone, Derry, Antrim and Down have been entitled to Irish Nationality since the foundation of the State as a result of the original Articles' 2 and 3. Such rights were further strengthened in legislation with the passing of the IRISH NATIONALITY AND CITIZENSHIP ACT, 1956. (
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1.../en/print#sec6).
The right to declare yourself as Irish or British or both was a component of the GFA in 1998 that highlighted the rights of players that they could indeed represent the nation of their identity if they so chose and if they were good enough to be picked.
It would do you well to read the excellent blog on the Nationality "issue" to clear up any confusion:
http://playereligibilityinireland.blogspot.ie/ It states: "Irish nationality has been available from birth to those born in Northern Ireland who have wished to have it recognised long before 1998; what the Good Friday Agreement did was provide a confirmation of the now-undisputed nature of this with bilateral endorsement, and whilst this might have changed mindsets and cleared up any misgivings in what might have previously been an area of diplomatic dispute, it had no effect on the application of FIFA regulations governing Irish nationality. The fact that Northern Ireland-born players represented FAI teams in the mid-1990s, years before the Good Friday Agreement’s signing, should demonstrate this.
I'm sure that makes it eminently clear that there's no loophole at play here.
Read more at:
http://www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk...land-1-7523112
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