Govt Planning Referendum to End Citizenship Rights

national | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Wednesday March 10, 2004 18:57 by Irish Born Citizen

Birth Right to Citizenship to go if FF-PD vote passes

FF-PD Government are planning a referndum to amend the constitution to remove citizenship rights from those born in Ireland. Instead citizenship will be decided by law.

Currently Citizens are all those born in the island of Ireland, its islands, and seas. AND all those that qualify under law (such as those resident for a certain period, children and grandchildren of irish born citizens, those married to citizens for a period of time, etc)

In Britain the birthright to citizenship was removed. Now British born people must have a parent that is deemed to be "British" or resident. If this is passed the Government will probably end the right of spouses, children, grandchildren and residents to get citizenship automatically under law.

Under the constitution citizenship cannot be removed from Irish born citizens. However it can be removed from those who qualify under law. So if this referendum is passed we will see the situation where your citizenship can now be removed from Irish born people as they will only qualify under law.