Ireland prepares to restrict citizenship

[CShine]

The Government says it is necessary, whereas many intellectuals denounce it as illiberal and racist. But the Republic of Ireland is on the brink of a placing a historic restriction on Irish citizenship. Voters in yesterday's European elections in the Republic were also voting on a referendum to the Irish constitution that would remove the traditional entitlement to Irish citizenship of anyone born in the country. Although there were allegations of racism before the vote, opinion polls show that a majority of voters intend to support the move.

If the constitutional amendment is passed, citizenship will only be granted to babies with at least one parent who has lived in Ireland for at least three of the past four years. The move is opposed by two of the smaller parties, Labour and Sinn Fein, but the parties in the governing coalition support the move and so does the other large party, Fine Gael.

Many voters are confused as to what has motivated the move but a substantial majority appears to have accepted the argument that the present system is open to abuse because Ireland is the only European state with an automatic right to citizenship at birth. There have been reports of heavily pregnant women arriving in the country to have their babies and then departing again within days. But there is heated debate over the scale of such cases. The authorities say the new scheme would put a stop to the practice, portraying it as sensible protection and not a racist policy.

One critic, Proinsias De Rossa of the Labour Party, declared of the government: "They are promoting intolerance and they are a disgrace. People should vote against this proposal. It is not the kind of Ireland we want."

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=530686

[Southsideirish]

1. I wonder if I will still be considered a citizen as my parents were

born there?

[FightinNewDem]

3. Yes and No

I don't know how the proposed changes will change things, but as it stands now, you are eligible for dual US/Irish citizenship if at least one parent or grandparent was an Irish citizen. It's not automatic, however; there is an application process. I believe the Irish Embassy in DC or an Irish consulate can help with the details.

[Warpy]

2. So much for the right of return

Since they're starting to get wealthier on their own offshoring boom, of course they're going to restrict access.

[TahitiNut]

4. The downside of 'success'

Who in the many-centuried past would've predicted that Ireland would ever see a need to restrict people wishing to move there and become citizens? Surely not during the many famines that've ravaged the country throughout history. The pharmaceutical and automotive industries will, once once-starving labor demands reasonable equity, abandon Eire for the greener pastures of another impoverished nation, always preying upon the weakest for the greatest profits due the indolent elite.