Citizenship vote 'will not breach Belfast Agreement'

The Irish and British governments have issued a joint declaration claiming the changes to the Constitution, to be decided in the June citizenship referendum, do not breach the Belfast Agreement.

The statement was issued this evening after the Taoiseach, Tanaiste, and the Minister for Justice all defended the decision to go ahead with the vote on June 11th.

The "interpretive declaration" states that it was not the intention of the two governments in 1998 "that it should impose on either government any obligation to confer nationality or citizenship on persons born in any part of the island of Ireland whose parents do not have sufficient connection with the island of Ireland."

The declaration continues: "And therefore the two governments declare that the proposal to amend Article 9 of the Constitution of Ireland...is in accordance with the intention of the two Governments in making the [British Irish] Agreement."

The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, has decided to hold a referendum on the issue on the same date as the European and local elections in June. If passed those born on the island of Ireland will only be entitled to citizenship if at least one parent is already a citizen.`

This evening Mr McDowell welcomed the "legal certainty" of the declaration and called for "calm, measured, informed and unemotional public and parliamentary debate" on the issue.

Earlier the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said: "We have taken legal advice here and in Britain and there is no difficulty whatever about the changes." The Taoiseach said it was simply a matter of closing a loophole in the immigration system.

Government plans to hold the referendum have come in for criticism with the SDLP leader Mr Mark Durkan saying the move was viewed with "profound concern".

But the Taoiseach said the current immigration system "is being abused. Citizenship is not something that can be just used by people, to come into a country for the benefit of getting citizenship.

"That cannot be something that can be tolerated or allowed to continue. "And it's not going to be, unless the people decide that they don't care about it."

Mr Durkan has told the Taoiseach the Belfast Agreement had given "clear promises" in respect of the citizenship rights of all people in Northern Ireland.

He criticised the failure of the Government to consult Northern Ireland parties about the referendum plan during recent talks on the future of the Agreement.

The SDLP leader complained: "It is perturbing that the Irish Government did not choose to raise its plans with the Northern parties, not even in the context of the review of the Agreement's workings.

"Even in the absence of a coherent working review structure, the government has had the opportunity of the scheduled Tuesdays to brief and sound parties out on a bilateral basis."

The Tanaiste, Ms Harney, said the Dail debate will allow time for discussion, and argued that June 11th was more suitable than any other date for the poll.