Children's Rights: Campaigners for children's rights have claimed that the Government proposal in the citizenship referendum will place the children of non-Irish, non-EU parents in a "separate class", with weaker rights than those born to Irish or EU parents.
The Children's Rights Alliance, which represents 78 child-welfare groups, has called for a No vote in the June 11th poll.
"If Government policy is to keep Filipino nurses in Ireland, why punish their children by weakening their rights by denying them Irish citizenship?" the alliance asked in a paper outlining its opposition to the Government proposal. "If the objective is to have fewer non-Irish-national births, why not issue fewer work permits? Why express surprise at a significant rise in the number of children born to non-Irish-national parents when it arises as an entirely predictable outcome of Government policy?"
The paper said the child-benefit allowance "may no longer be available" to such children, "at least until they have established a sufficient, multi-year period of residency".
The alliance's chief executive, Mr Ray Dooley, said the proposal, if passed, would create a situation in which such children would have to make a claim later in life for the rights, entitlements and benefits of citizenship.The chief executive of Barnardo's, Mr Owen Keenan, said Fine Gael's position on the referendum was "curious".Fine Gael supports the proposal but believes the referendum was rushed and will not campaign for a Yes vote. Mr Keenan said anyone who felt the decision was rushed or was unsure about the full implications of the vote should vote No.